Gray Areas
by White Wolf Of The Moon12396
Summary: Unlike the other parents on the Isle, the girl's parents did not treat her badly nor did they push her to behave like a villain. They only wished for her to be happy. So, in result to how they raised her, she thought more like an Auradon kid with some VK spice. Her father is Hades, Greek god of the Underworld and her mother is Persephone. Her name is Nicola.
1. Prologue

**Gray Areas Prologue**

 **Well hello lovelies! Here is the first chapter of the new story I was talking about. Please let me know what you think!^.^**

 **"The great thing about new friends is that they bring new energy to the soul."**

 **-Shanna Rodriguez**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

A drab, gray sky overlooked the lifeless yard of Hell Hall as a small boy with black hair with frosted tips dressed in black, white, and red washed the impressively long red car that belonged to Cruella De Vil. Little sniffles escaped the boy while he scrubbed at the crusted on mud that covered the exterior of the vehicle. At the gate of the estate, there was a little girl who looked to be one year older than the boy who was dressed in dark Greek robes with long, knee length black hair that looked to be dipped in light blue that faded up into the black. The little girl had been walking by when she had heard the stifled cries from the boy. Should I help him, she debated while glancing over to the car. It doesn't look like he would be able to clean that all by himself . Unlike the other parents on the Isle, the girl's parents did not treat her badly nor did they push her to behave like a villain. They only wished for her to be happy. So, in result to how they raised her, she thought more like an Auradon kid with some VK spice. This may seem unusual for villain parents, but her parents are in themselves unusual. Her father is Hades, Greek god of the Underworld while her mother is Persephone Greek goddess of the Underworld in the fall and winter and the Greek goddess of spring in the spring and summer. While you might be familiar with how Hades tried to take over Mt. Olympus, what Zeus, the gods, Hercules, and Megara said happened wasn't the full story. Hades had only tried to overthrow Zeus because he was jealous of the light that always surrounded the King of the Gods. At the time his usual ball of sunshine Persephone was away with her mother so his plan was able to take fruition unhindered. After the disastrous failure, Zeus had banished Hades to the Underworld and the Isle of the Lost. Persephone on the other hand could come and go as she always had. Anyways, back with the story. The little girl loved to explore around the Isle and she always saw the poor boy slaving away. At first the girl had restrained herself from helping because she knew that most villains taught their children to be nasty and to reject kindness. However, after seeing this go on for weeks, she was finally breaking. That's it, she thought with determination. I'm going to help him. Silent as the dead, the girl glided over to the boy's side to tap on his shoulder. A yelp left him as he jumped a foot in the air before he slowly turned to face the girl.

"Hello," she greeted in a bell chime like voice.

"H-Hi," stammered the boy when he got a good look at her. He couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"My name is Nicola. What is yours?"

"Carlos De Vil, son of Cruella De Vil."

There was a pause while the boy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who is your parent? I don't remember seeing you around before."

"My father is Hades god of the Underworld and my mother is Persephone goddess of spring and the Underworld."

Carlos's eyes about bugged out of his head as soon as the words registered in his mind.

"That means you're a ….,"

"Goddess, yes."

"What are you doing here?" Carlos asked curiously before hastily adding. "If you don't mind my asking."

"I don't mind," she giggled happily. "I came to help you wash the car."

This time his eyes widened in shock and his mouth opened and closed in an attempt to talk but no words came out. For a few seconds Nicola waited patiently for Carlos to find his voice so that he could voice his opinion.

"B-B-But," he protested to which Nicola replied by placing her finger on his lips.

"It's alright Carlos," she grinned mischievously at him. "If anyone asks, I forced you to let me help so that I didn't have to hear you complain about the work."

A grateful smile appeared on his face before Nicola snapped her fingers causing the ground to tremble. A scream left Carlos in his terrified state as a fissure appeared in the ground. Nicola on the other hand waited calmly for the ground to stop shaking and the skeletons to crawl out. Another shout left Carlos as he fell to the ground paralyzed in his fear. When five skeletons had crawled out, the ground closed up flawlessly and the Underworldly residents stood at attention in a straight line.

"Alright men," Nicola began in an authoritative voice. "I want you all to help with washing this car until it shines. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Mistress Nicola!" came a unified shout from the skeletons. They then wasted no time in tackling the task with vigor. Upon seeing their amazing work ethic, Nicola made to join the group when Carlos clutching onto the bottom of her robes stopped her.

"Wh-Wha-What are they?" Carlos asked breathlessly at the sight of the dead being reanimated. "How did you use magic? I thought we couldn't."

"They are skeletons from the Underworld," Nicola explained easily. "As for what I did, I am a goddess. Using my powers weakens me slightly but I can use as much as I like. If you humans were to use your magic here, you would probably be sick to your stomach after two or three spells. Is there anything else?"

Dazed Carlos shook his head and let go of Nicola so she could jump into the fray of soap suds and water.

* * *

Within fifteen minutes the red car shone and the five skeleton helpers backed back up into a straight line while Carlos finally stood from the ground.

"Are you alright Carlos?" Nicola asked the pale, well paler, boy while rubbing his back in soothing circles.

"Yeah. I was just shocked."

"That's understandable. Not many people are used to seeing the dead brought back to life."

There was a pause.

"Is there anything else that needs to be done for your chores?"

"No."

Nicola nodded before she turned to the skeletons.

"Men, I have new orders for you! You are to serve this boy Carlos De Vil. You are to obey all of his orders regardless of what they are. If he says he wants you to jump you say…,"

"How high," chorused the skeletons.

"Excellent!"

"Wait!" Carlos tried to pipe up but was drowned out by Nicola's voice.

"Now I want you to wait right by the front door until Master De Vil returns."

"Yes, Mistress Nicola!"

Once the group of undead lined up by the door, Nicola grabbed Carlos's hand and pulled him after her out of the gate.

"C'mon Carlos! Let's go play!"

"Play?" Carlos echoed in equal parts confusion and nervousness. Nicola seemed to sense his apprehension so she slowed to a stop and turned to face him.

"Yeah. Haven't you played with your friends before?"

Carlos instantly looked down at the ground at her question.

"I don't have any friends," he mumbled under his breath in hopes that Nicola wouldn't hear him. But she did.

"Then I'll be your friend," Nicola beamed at the smaller boy which had him blushing. "How about we head over to my house on the Isle and we can talk more?"

The beginnings of tears gathered in Carlos's eyes but Nicola put a stop to them with a firm tug. "C'mon Carlos. We're burning daylight."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Carlos asked skeptically.

"I am nice to you because I want the both of us to be friends," Nicola answered softly. "I have watched you suffer for three weeks and I couldn't bring myself to ignore you. I want to make sure that you're happy, that you're fed, and that you're safe. I guess you could say that I think of you as a little brother."

At the mention of the words 'little brother' a light of hope shone in Carlos's chocolate brown eyes.

"Do you mean it? That you'll be my big sister?"

"Of course I will. If you want me to be."

A squeeze of her hand was the only answer she got along with a small smile. "Is there anywhere you would like to go Carlos?"

"No. I'm fine with wherever you want to go."

With that in mind Nicola picked up walking again through the town with Carlos holding her hand tight.

"So, what do you like to do Carlos?"

"I like to tinker with machines," he offered hesitantly. "I find bits and pieces around and I make things with them."

"Aren't you a clever boy," Nicola giggled as she tapped Carlos's nose with her index finger. Carlos's brilliant smile and puff of his little chest was more than enough to convey his pride. Nicola made to open her mouth to say something when shouting could be heard ahead of them. All of Nicola's fighting instincts screamed at her to tense up her muscles to fight and to keep Carlos away from the violence. However, Nicola battled against staying in that one spot to instead head towards the shadows.

"Carlos, I want you to hold onto me and close your eyes," Nicola ordered in a stern tone that had the little boy scrambling to do as she said. "Do not open your eyes until I tell you and above all else, do not let go."

With Carlos clutching tightly to the taller girl, Nicola allowed the shadows to swallow the both of them up. A little ripple could be seen traveling through the shaded Isle until it stopped at the sight of a young boy a year older than Nicola and two years older than Carlos with long dark hair fending off four adults with bursts of red magic. While at first glance the boy looked like he was holding his own, Nicola could spot the greenish tint to the carmel tone of his face. Upon seeing this Nicola appeared from the shadows with Carlos and crouched by a stack of barrels.

"Alright Carlos. You can let go and open your eyes now. I have something to take care of."

As soon as Nicola uttered the words, Carlos let go of her and looked up at her in confusion.

"Nicola, what-," He didn't get to finish his question for she shot out from the barrel stack towards the fray. "Nicola!"

That didn't seem to faze her for she jumped to execute a jump spin hook kick that knocked one of the men away from the boy. A shout of surprise and pain left the man while the others were left to stare in awe at the little girl.

"Fuck," one of the men breathed out.

"Step away from the boy," she glared at the men, effectively making their blood turn to ice with her silver gaze. Even though to their eyes the men could see a little girl, they felt like death itself was staring right into their souls.

"Who are you," one of the braver men ventured after glancing up from the man who had been knocked out by Nicola's kick.

"I am Nicola, daughter of Hades and Persephone. I would appreciate it if you left."

"But that little thief-," another tried to reason with her only to be cut off by her.

"I do not care. Leave him alone. He is under my protection and to harm him is to receive my ire. Is this quite clear?"

The men wanted to argue further but once they saw how the blue part of Nicola's hair began to dance softly like flames, they relented.

"This is not over you filthy street rat," yet another man spat at the ill boy as the group picked up their fallen friend and fled the scene. Once Nicola could not see the men anymore, she let out a deep sigh and loosened up her posture.

"Carlos, you can come out now," she called out to the terrified little boy.

"Nicola!" he exclaimed with worry as he ran to her and latched onto her while crying slightly. "I thought you were going to get hurt."

"I'm fine Carlo," she assured him while she held onto him. "I'm alright."

"Why did you help me?" questioned the queasy boy who looked like he couldn't stand straight.

"Because you looked like you needed the help," Nicola answered quickly. "Right now it looks like you need some rest."

"I don't need your help," the boy snarled weakly while attempting to walk away only to fall flat on his face.

"Apparently," Nicola remarked sarcastically. "Now because you've managed to push yourself so hard, I'll have to take you to my home."

The boy grew scared at that and tried in vain to push himself to his feet to get away. Nicola rolled her eyes at the boy's stubbornness as she strolled over to the boy with Carlos clinging to her robes. As she got closer, the boy's struggle grew and grew until he all but passed out when she arrived right beside him.

"The more you struggle, the more you'll have to rest," Nicola told him in a warning tone before she scooped him up easily into her arms. Carlos had wide eyes at Nicola's strength but kept his strong hold on her. "Carlos, we're traveling like how we did before so I need you to hold on and close your eyes again."

Again Carlos was quick to comply which led the group of three traveling through the shadows until the shadows led to a secluded cottage three stories tall that had thick vegetation only around the perimeter. People would question the presence of such beauty, but a thick veil of Mist kept any unwanted visitors from venturing into the property.

* * *

Nicola did not stop to let the boys off in the yard. Instead she shadow traveled into the library on the first floor that had a comfortable couch and a roaring fire. All three children easily spilled from the shadows and Nicola quickly deposited the nearly unconscious boy onto the couch and told Carlos to let go and to watch over the sick boy. She then disappeared quickly to the kitchen where she quickly threw together a bowl of chicken broth for the sick boy and a cup of hot cocoa and sugar cookies for herself and Carlos. Within minutes she was back in the room, giving the tray to Carlos while taking the bowl of broth for the nameless boy. Being half conscious left the boy delirious making him accept the nourishment happily versus his earlier treatment of yelling and snapping. To be easy on his stomach, Nicola let the broth trickle into his mouth small mouthful by small mouthful until it was gone then covered up the boy so that he could get some rest.

"What are these?" Carlos gushed happily while munching on some sugar cookies.

"These are sugar cookies," Nicola smiled. "They're soft little pastries that are sprinkled with sugar. And the drink I gave you is hot chocolate so I would be careful drinking it. I don't want you burning your lips or mouth."

"How did you get these? We can't get anything like this on the Isle."

"Well, I didn't get them from the Isle."

Carlos nearly choked on his cookie at her confession.

"Then where did you get them?"

"Auradon."

This time Carlos did choke on his cookie which resulted in his hacking and Nicola worriedly patting his back.

"What do you mean from Auradon?" he choked out once he regained his voice.

"I mean that in the spring and summer, Mommy and I go to Auradon and I stock up on things to bring back with me to the Isle."

"And they let you?"

"Well, I hide them in a bag that is enlarged on the inside so they don't really know," I confessed guiltily. "When I tried this human food I kind of got addicted."

All Carlos did was laugh to which Nicola joined merrily.

"What do you like to do Nicola. You asked me earlier but I didn't get a chance to ask you."

"Well, I like to sing, gardening, history, cooking, reading, and training."

"Training?"

"My Uncle Ares believes that no matter if a person if a girl or boy that they should learn to fight. Whenever I go to Auradon, he trains me to fight like how I did back at the market and with weapons."

"Wow," Carlos breathed in awe. "Could you teach me Nicola?"

"When you get older definitely," she agreed. "Right now you're a bit too small."

"But you're only a year older than me," he pouted slightly.

"But I am a goddess and you're a human," I reminded him gently.

"You're right Nicola," he sighed before the two began talking again. About half an hour later the nameless boy was beginning to stir.

"Oh good, you're awake," Nicola breathed in relief when the stranger's dark eyes opened.

"Where am I?" were the first panicked words that flew from his mouth at the unfamiliar scene around him. "Who are-It's you! I thought I told you I was fine! You could have just left me there!"

Nicola was wise to stay quiet and let the boy vent out his frustration and confusion before she said anything.

"Not only that but why did you save me?! I would have been fine on my own! I don't need a girl fighting my battles for me!"

When the boy did not make to shout anymore, Nicola calmly answered him.

"Hello, my name is Nicola and I am the daughter of Hades and Persephone. the reason I saved you is because it looked like those men were going to kill you after you had passed out from using magic. I couldn't just let that happen. As for fighting your battles I will not fight them for you. I will simply help you if you need it."

The boy looked skeptically at the girl as he slowly sat up on the couch.

"You didn't answer where I am."

"You didn't give me your name."

"I'm Jay, son of Jafar."

"Nice to meet you Jay," Nicola smile brightly. "This is Carlos, son of Cruella De Vil."

Poor Carlos could only wave from all the sugar cookies he he had shoved into his mouth. He looked like a chipmunk. Nicola giggled at the sight while Jay look slightly disturbed but turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. For the last part of her laugh, Jay was able to fully appreciate the heavenly sound. Just like Carlos had thought earlier, Jay thought that Nicola was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"As for where you are, you are in my home on the Isle. I couldn't exactly take you down to the Underworld."

"Right," Jay drawled. "Thanks for the help but I got to go. My Dad is expecting me."

"Alright, but if you ever want to come back, you are more than welcome," Nicola offered sweetly to which Jay blushed slightly at.

"Yeah, sure. Catch you both later."

Like her mother, the ever hospitable hostess, Nicola showed Jay to the door and where to go to head back to his father's shop.

"Do you think that he'll be alright?" Carlos asked Nicola.

"Yes, I'm sure he'll be fine."

* * *

It wasn't until three years later that Jay got into trouble again. As per the habit during the fall and winter, Nicola and Carlos took to walking to Nicola's house from Hell Hall which lead to the discovery. A large crowd had gathered in the marketplace that had the duo stopping their walk.

"What's going on over there?" a now eight year old Carlos questioned curiously.

"I don't know," Nicola admitted. "Do you want to go see?"

Carlos was already drawn into the crowd as he nodded. Nicola smiled and skillfully got the two of them through the dense throng of people so that they were part of the inner ring of spectators. The first thing that came to their attention was the five men that were beating up whoever was on the ground.

"That poor person," Nicola whispered sadly until she caught sight of familiar carmel skin and long black hair.

"That's Jay," Carlos gasped as soon as Nicola noticed. Nicola's body seemed to switch to autopilot as she ran to the men. Unlike her kick from before, Nicola tackled three on the men down before she roundhouse kicked and sweep kicked the remaining two men. When she turned to take stock of Jay, she saw the blood and bruises all over his body. Her eyes narrowed upon the sight and her vision turned red when she turned to glare at the men who had stumbled back up.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded in a scary quiet voice.

"He stole from us again," the leader fired back with heat. "We told you that we would get him back for his sticky fingers."

"And what did I tell you about him? He is under my protection so be prepared for my wrath."

And like that she tore into the men leaving them black and blue and knocked out.

"Carlos!" Nicola shouted for her little brother figure that had him running towards Nicola and Jay. "Let's get to a secluded spot. We need to get to my home and patch Jay up."

Carlos only nodded and ran beside Nicola as she sought out a less populated part of the Isle where the three shadow traveled to Nicola's house. Just like three years ago Nicola deposited Jay on the couch in the library except this time Nicola left ordered Carlos to grab the first aid kit Nicola kept in the kitchen along with a bowl of hot water. He was quick to bring it back to see Nicola's hands over Jay's body emitting a golden light.

"He has some broken ribs and one punctured his right lung. He also has a fractured femur and various cuts and scrapes. I'll have to heal his major wound and dress up his minor ones. He was smart keeping his head covered and protected. Carlo, would you be a dear and go grab some orange, green, and blue seeds from my herb cupboard along with my mortar and pestle and some cool water? After that you can help yourself to anything in the kitchen while I patch him up.

"Are you sure Nicci?"

"Of course I am. Now please hurry." With that Carlos disappeared again while Nicola slaved away with her Uncle Apollo's gift of healing and medicine fixing Jay's broken bones and punctured lung. Carlos came back halfway through the process but stayed to watch Nicola work over the unconscious Jay. Once she had finished with that Nicola ground up the colorful seeds and added water to the mix. She then helped Jay drink all of it before she set to work washing Jay of his blood and bandaging his minor bleeding wounds. When all of this was done she flopped down on the ground with a great gust of air leaving her in relief.

"And done," she sighed pushing her hair back from her face.

"Was that the gift you got from your Uncle Apollo?" Carlos asked the clearly drained girl.

"Yep. I've never been so happy about in my life until now," she confessed.

"Do you need some ambrosia and nectar?"

"Just a square of ambrosia and a small glass of nectar," she confirmed gratefully. "Just make sure not to drink any of it. It will burn you up from the inside out faster that you can say Auradon."

Carlos gulped in fear at her words, but he none the less ventured back out to the kitchen to wrestle up Nicola's request while he made himself a sandwich and grabbed a glass of apple juice. All the while Carlos was making the snack, Nicola was dutifully looking after Jay making sure that he wasn't uncomfortable.

"I got your snack," Carlos announced when he slipped back into the room, and handed Nicola her food and drink.

"Thank you so much Carlo," Nicola smiled up at him. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You're welcome Nicci. I'm always happy to help."

The two both ate in silence until the sky began to darken.

"You're welcome to stay the night," Nicola offered Carlos. "We have your room on the second floor all set up for you.

"Thanks Nicci. Is there anything you need before I head up to bed?"

"No, I'm fine. Goodnight Carlo."

"Goodnight Nicci."

With that Carlos headed up to bed while Nicola continued to take care of Jay through the night until she clonked out about a few hours before dawn.

When Jay awoke the next morning, he noted how he was warm and he didn't hurt as bad as he had expected. This confused him greatly. He was so sure the shopkeepers had beaten him to a bloody pulp when he tried to steal with his magic again. Wait, he thought. I've felt this before. The last time I felt like this was when that Nicola gir helped me out some time ago. Am I at her house again? To test his theory, he cracked open an eye to see the same girl he was thinking about passed out at his side, her head resting on her folded arms on the couch next to his body. Jay's eyes widened at the sight but when the sight registered in his mind, Jay began to blush. She looks so cute when she's asleep, he couldn't help but think. Did save me again? At the thought Jay gave an aggravated huff before he fell back on the couch. I'm so stupid, he thought. I was doing so good until I goofed up for just a second. The jostling of Jay's body seemed to wake Nicola for she had sat up and had rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Jay, you're awake," she yawned. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a little sore," he admitted regretfully. "But I'll live."

"Oh thank goodness," she breathed in relief. "Are you in serious pain? I can make you some medicine."

"I'm fine Nicola," he gruffly insisted. "You don't have to fuss over me anymore. I know where the door is so I'll just-,"

"No, you aren't," she argued firmly, taking Jay aback in surprise. He had only heard her talk like that when she had been talking to his assailants. "You are going to stay until you get some food in you."

" I can't so that Nicola," he tried again to get out of the house. "I can't take your food. Not after when you did for me."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

"You are so stubborn," Jay sighed in defeat.

"So are you," Nicola fired back playfully.

All Jay did was roll his eyes at her.

"So what are we eating?"

"Hmm, I'll see when we get to the kitchen. Can you stand? Do you need help walking?"

"Nicola, chill," Jay scoffed, easily hopping up from the couch. "Stop being such a worry wort."

The two left the library to the entryway where they met Carlos.

"Good morning Nicci," he greeted his big sister. "You work wonders. Morning Jay."

"Good morning Carlo," Nicola replied happily while Jay only nodded.

"What do you want for breakfast Carlo?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes and bacon," he beamed.

"Chocolate chip pancakes and bacon it is," Nicola agreed.

"Chocolate?" Jay echoed in confusion.

"You'll see Jay," Carlos said excitedly. "You'll love it!"

All three children filed into the kitchen where Nicola began bustling about making breakfast. Carlos came to sit at the table in the middle of the room while Jay continued to stand feeling out of place.

"Go on and sit with Carlo," Nicola encouraged him with a bright smile that had a fluttering feeling in Jay's chest and stomach to start. He was quick to slide into a seat across from Carlos.

"So, how are you feeling Jay?" Carlos questioned the older boy.

"Fine, I guess," Jay answered, unnerved by the kindness and concern he received from the two Isle natives.

"That's great. You were a mess yesterday. Nicci said you had broken ribs, one put a hole in one of your lungs and a broken f-fe-fem- a broken leg bone."

Jay looked shocked at what he heard. According to Carlos, he should have died yesterday.

"How am I not dead?"

"Nicci saved you," Carlos replied easily. "She has some great magic. She healed your big stuff while cleaning your cuts."

"Wh-Why did she do that?"

"I don't know," Carlos shrugged. "That's just Nicci. She can't let people hurt or die like that."

Jay seemed to reel in the information. He simply couldn't wrap his mind around the girl who had saved his life last night. How was he supposed to pay her back after she did something like that? He couldn't protect her more than she already protected herself. He could possibly watch over Carlos when Nicola wasn't around. He could give her some presents. An aggravated noise left him at the headache he was giving himself just as Nicola sat a plate in front of him.

"I already buttered and put syrup on your pancakes," Nicola told him. "Eat up."

Jay watched Nicola and Carlos pick up silverware and eat so he tried his best to mimic them. As soon as the food touched his tongue, his eyes widened in surprise and happiness before he dug into the rest of his food. Nicola giggled at the silly sight Jay presented while she wiped Carlos's face clean of any food he had gotten on his cheeks or chin. Jay was the first one finished with breakfast so took that time to look down at the empty plate. He had never tasted anything that delicious and he didn't know when he would taste anything like this again.

"Do you want more?" Nicola asked him.

His heart leapt.

"Can I?"

"Of course you can."

With that she took his plate and filled it up with more food and deposited her dishes in the sink. She also gave Carlos a second helping before she slid back into her seat.

"What do you think?" Nicola inquired to Jay.

"It's great," Jay smiled. "I didn't know food could taste so good."

"Auradon food can taste even better," Nicola commented offhandedly which had Jay dropping his fork.

"Auradon?!"

"Yeah. In the spring and summer Mommy and I go to Auradon and I bring food back with me."

"And they let you?"

"Well, they don't exactly know," Nicola blushed. "I sort of have an addiction to human food."

He looked at her in disbelief that had Nicola blushing even more under his scrutiny.

"What?" she managed to get out past her embarrassment.

"I thought you would be perfect."

This confused Nicola and Carlos greatly.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Nicola ventured.

"A good thing," Jay clarified.

Just like he had seen Nicola do, he put his empty dishes in the sink.

"I think this is a good time for me to head back to my father's shop."

"Don't be a stranger this time," Nicola told him. "You are welcome here any time. Even in the Spring and Summer."

Jay was once again taken aback by Nicola's kindness, but he was able to get over it quickly.

"I'll see you around Nicola, Carlos."

"I count on it," Nicola said.

"Bye Jay!"

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **There we go, now I have two new stories up for you lovelies to enjoy. I hope you like them. Anyways, on with the usual. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please feel free to review or pm me. Remember reviews are magic! ^.^**

 **-White Wolf**


	2. Chapter 1

**Gray Areas Ch. 1**

 **I would like to thank my first two reviewers for this story Porcalein and 1. First and foremost I would like to welcome my two new lovelies to the family. It's always nice to have our little group grow more and more. Now that that is out of the way, let's move on to the quote.**

 **"Some people care too much...I think it's called love"**

 **-Winnie the Pooh**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

Five years has passed since when I had patched Jay up and Carlo began going to Dragon Hall to learn all there is to know about being a villain. Jay went to the school as well, but he hardly visited. He only visited every once and a great while. As for me, I chose not to go to Dragon Hall and instead focused on my training when Carlo was at school and looking after him when he wasn't. To make it easier, Carlo all but moved in with me where he had his own room and bed and made trips back to Hell Hall to make sure the house was clean and to show his face to his mother. On a particular day of school that started like any other, I glided into Carlo's room to open his curtains.

"Carlo, it's time to wake up," I chirped cheerfully. "Hurry and get dressed. We have omelettes for breakfast."

A grumble came from the mass under Carlo's blanket where Carlo lay surrounded by a mass of pillows.

"Five more minutes Nicci," Carlo pleaded sleepily from under his cocoon. I couldn't help but laugh silently at the cuteness Carlo demonstrated while half asleep.

"Nope, not going to happen Carlo. You have school. Besides, weren't you looking forward to that science project that you're working on?"

That seemed to do the trick for he dashed out from under his nest to sprint into his connected bathroom

"Remember to make your bed," I called after him as he left the room. Within minutes Carlo was dressed with his backpack beside him while he enjoyed the hot breakfast I made for him.

"Thanks for breakfast," Carlo sighed in content after he had finished his meal.

"Not a problem Carlo. Would you like me to walk you to school?"

A faint flush appeared on Carlo's cheeks at my question but he nodded none the less.

"I love it when you walk me to school."

"Then let's go shall we?"

Carlo instantly took my offered hand before I shadow traveled the both of us to the entrance of the school.

"I'm so glad I got used to that," Carlo sighed in relief.

"Yeah. It always takes people a few times to get used to the feeling," I agreed.

"How come you tell me to close my eyes when we do that?" Carlo asked curiously.

"Because some things should not be seen by young eyes."

"You're one year older than me," he reminded me.

"Yes, but I am also the daughter of Hades. I am used to what you see when we shadow travel."

Carlo left it at that while the two walked up to the entrance.

"Have a good day at school Carlo," I smiled down at him. "Remember the training I gave you if someone tries to pick a fight with you, alright?"

"Yes, Nicci."

"Good. I'll be here when you get out if you want."

"I'd like that."

"Alright. See you later Carlo."

"See ya Nicci."

Carlo gave me a brief hug before he disappeared into the school. I could feel a small smile grace my lips as I made my way back out of the school grounds. However, before I could slip into the shadows, I caught sight of the now tall form of Jay with a red beanie over his shoulder blade length black hair dressed in a red, blue, and yellow leather jacket along with purple and red leather pants finished off with black buckled leather boots walking with a purple haired girl walking beside him in a purple, green, and magenta leather coat, purple leggings, and black heavy boots. If I remember correctly, Jay had said she was Mal, daughter of Maleficent. A blush was quick to appear on my cheeks at the sight of Jay. For three years I have harbored a crush for the kleptomaniac and has given him flowers, always a Audubon daffodil with white petal segments and a pink band on the pale yellow cup, as a token of my affection. I remember that due to my patching him up and feeding him, he went out of his way in town to make sure that I wasn't hurt or picked on. I knew he knew that I could take care of myself, but it was sweet that he wanted to pay me back for what I had done. Not unlike the other times I left him a flower, I hid in the shadows and made one of the flowers bloom at Jay's feet.

"Hey Jay, what's that?" the purple haired girl asked upon seeing it.

"It's a flower," Jay smiled fondly while he leaned down to pluck the flower. "Nicola always leaves me one."

"Nicola? You mean the daughter of Hades you told me about?"

"Yeah."

Jay tucked the flower into his jacket before him and Mal went into the school. I was in ecstasy over the fact that Jay knew that I was the one leaving him flowers. He knew! He knew! He knew and he is happy about it! I was lost in my happiness that I didn't notice the girl in blue sneaking up on me.

"Hello," she spoke up, scaring me half to death as I jumped about a foot in the air.

"H-H-Hello," I returned once I had calmed my racing heart.

"Could you show me to Dr. Facilier's office?"

"Uh, sure. I'm Nicola, daughter of Hades. What's your name?"

"I'm Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen. This is my first day at a public school. Before now I've always been castle schooled."

"I see," I said while linking my arm with Evie's. "To tell you the truth I don't go to school. I learn by being taught by my mother and father."

"Your parents are still alive and together?" Evie gasped in surprise.

"Of course. They're both gods so technically, they can't die."

"Both gods…," Evie trailed in disbelief. "That would make you-,"

"A goddess," I interrupted with a blush. It always embarrassed me when people tried to treat me like royalty when they learned that I was a goddess. I would prefer if people would treat me like a normal girl instead of always worrying about upsetting me or keeping me happy. "Yes, it does, but I don't abuse my powers."

"Oh."

"So I take it you haven't made any friends yet."

"No, but I'm hoping to make a lot."

"Well, you already have one friend," I pointed out cheerfully. "You have me. Plus there is my little brother Carlos who will be your friend too."

"Really?"

"Of course Evie. I'm always happy to make new friends. Why don't you come over to our house after school and we can talk?"

"I would love that Nicola."

And like that, we were at the headmaster's office.

"Here you are Evie, Headmaster Facilier's office."

"Thank you Nicola. I don't know how I can thank you."

"Don't think anything of it Evie."

Evie made to enter the office but I stopped her when I saw that Evie lacked something important. "Evie, you wouldn't have, by any chance, forgotten your lunch?"

"Lunch?!" Evie exclaimed in mortification. "I did forget to bring mine. I was so excited this morning that I must have skipped right out the door without it."

"Then here," I offered, pulling a wormy apple decorated lunch box out of thin air. "Here you go. This should be enough for a lunch for you."

Evie's eyes widened considerably at the gift as she accepted the box.

"I...I...I don't….,"

"Oh, and Jay son of Jafar is my friend too. If anyone is giving you a hard time, tell either Carlos or Jay that you're friends with me and they'll help you."

"Nicola, I-,"

"Don't worry about it," I told her dismissively. "I'll see you at the school entrance after school."

Evie didn't even get to say anything else for I had vanished into the shadows.

* * *

Some hours later I waited at the gates of Dragon Hall for both Carlo and Evie to come out. However, I wouldn't lie and say that I was hoping that I could catch a glimpse of Jay or, even better, get a chance to talk to him.

"Nicci!" Carlo shouted to grab my attention as he and Evie walked over to me.

"Hey Carlo. How was school?"

"Classes were fine," he said. " But Mal pressured me into giving a party at Hell Hall."

"When is this supposed party?"

"Tonight."

"Really? She didn't give you at least a day or two of warning?"

He only shook his head to which I sighed at. Maleficent may run the island with an iron fist, but Mal didn't have to follow right in her mother's footsteps. I could see that she is so much more than that.

"How about you Evie?" I asked our newest edition.

"It started out well, but I had a run in with Mal during my first class," she stated glumly. "But Carlos made the day better."

"Well look at you Carlo," I teased. "Aren't you a ladies man."

"Oh shut up Nicci," he grumbled in embarrassment, the tips of his ears turning red.

"Anyways," I continued on. "Do you want me to drop you off at Hell Hall?"

"Yeah. I'll need all the time I can get setting up."

"What about you Evie? Do you want to come with us or do you want to stop at your house first?"

"Can I rain check on coming with you guys," Evie questioned apologetically. "My mom will want to do my makeup and hair before I try to go to the party."

"Of course. We'll see you at the party."

Evie was quick to scurry away while Carlo and I stood to the side of the street.

"Ready Carlo?" I inquired while I held out a hand to him.

"Ready Nicci."

In seconds I had us shadow traveled into the foyer of Hell Hall where Carlo's skeleton servants were awaiting his commands.

"Alright boys, we have a decorating job to do," Carlo announced to them. "First we're going to cover all of the furniture with white sheets. Then we're going to rig up some of my mom's old brass candelabras around the room and hang up the chandelier swing."

With those orders the skeletons lept into action while Carlo made his way over to the old rotary phone. I decided to leave him to it and to help the skeletons with hanging up the candelabras and chandelier swing by using my levitation power to hang the decorations up. Once those tasks were done, Carlo had us set up a makeshift photo booth with an old Polaroid camera and told one of the skeletons what to do when people came for pictures.

"Not too shabby," Carlo grinned at our work with hands on his hips. "Now we're talking."

"And it's about to get a whole lot better," Jay's voice joined in from the front door. My heart leapt in surprised joy at the sight of him. When he came more into the hall, I could see the four large grocery bags that he had.

"Do you need help Jay?" I offered with a large smile.

He looked surprised at my appearance but he quickly reigned in his facial expressions.

"Sure," he agreed while giving me a bag. I followed him over to the coffee table where he set out all of the Isle's best treats along with spiced cider which he then poured into a cracked punch bowl. "I didn't know you were coming to the party Nicola."

"I didn't either JJ," I replied without thinking, the personal nickname I had given him slipping from my lips.

"JJ?" he repeated with a raised eyebrow. A pink blush bloomed on my cheeks at my slip up. I can't believe that I had said that out loud. I'm so stupid.

"Yeah," I chuckled weakly. "It's a personal nickname I gave you but I didn't know if you would want me calling you that."

"Sure. I don't mind," he shrugged while he flopped down on the couch by the coffee table. "Could I call you something too?"

My heart nearly burst out of my chest at his question but I managed to calm down.

"I'd love that JJ."

"How about Nix?"

"It's perfect."

Carlo then cleared his throat while looking at me with a questioning and accusing glance. I caught the meaning of his look and flushed further. Only Carlo would be able to understand me enough to know I was flirting. JJ looked between the two of us but said nothing of my cherry red cheeks.

"So, what's with the dead guys?" JJ inquired after a few minutes of silence.

"Nicci gave them to me when I was five," Carlo answered easily.

"Nicci?" Jay wondered.

"Yeah, she's my adopted older sister," Carlo grinned while wrapping an arm around me.

"And he's my adorable little brother," I returned with a grin and a hand run through his hair, effectively messing it up.

"Nicci," Carlo whined playfully. I giggled but released him so he could fix his hair.

"When are the guests-," I began only to be cut off by two large, hairy boys barging into the building with booming hellos. They had started to head for the food table when they caught sight of me.

"Well hello there," one of them greeted me while subtly flexing his muscles.

"What's your name?" his twin finished as he came to stand at my other side.

"I'm Nicola," I beamed up at them, placing my arms behind my back. "What's yours."

"Gaston Jr.," spoke the one on the left.

"And Gaston III."

"Hey Gastons," JJ greeted the twins while sliding an arm around my shoulders. Even though I know that my shoulders aren't that delicate, the way JJ's muscular arm flung over them made them seem like the smallest shoulders ever. Was the JJ that I knew from when we were little really this hulking, beautiful male specimen? "I've see you've met my friend Nix."

"Yeah," Gaston Jr. laughed uneasily.

"We were just talking," Gaston III continued on for his twin. I could sense the tension between JJ and the twins that had me confused. Did JJ not like them? Were they bad people. Well, really bad considering the norm for the Isle. They were saved from saying anymore when a whole group of what looked to be pirates came in through the door. The twins looked relieved and left us for the new group. JJ's arm squeezed my shoulders a bit before he released me like nothing had happened.

"JJ?" I asked confused as to what had happened.

"Why don't I introduce you to the other kids?" he suggested with a large smile displaying his bright white teeth.

"Sure," I agreed with one of my own. "Are they your friends?"

"No," he laughed like I had said the funniest thing. "Villains don't have friends. The people we are close to are only close to us because we want something from them."

My eyebrows furrowed at this logic, but I didn't say anything. It would do nothing to argue with him about ideals that had been drilled into his head since he was born. And like that JJ introduced me to Harriet Hook, Sammy Smee, and their crew along with Abigail Tremaine and Drisana Tremaine (also know as the step-granddaughters) with their cousin Anthony Tremaine. The girls ignored me altogether while Anthony tried to talk to me but something made him return back to the group. By then who I learned to be Carlo's cousin Diego De Vil with a black and white mohawk arrived with his band the Bad Apples.

"Hola hermosa (Hello beautiful)," he greeted in perfect Spanish while he set up.

"I hear you're amiga de pequeño Carlos (little Carlo's friend)."

"Sí. Él es como mi hermano pequeño (Yes. He is like my little brother)," I replied easily with a smile.

"¿Ah, hablas español? (Ah, you speak Spanish?)" he questioned impressed.

"Sí, soy la hija de Hades para tener un intérprete interno. Automáticamente traduce idiomas diferentes por lo que puedo entender (Yes, I am the daughter of Hades so I have an internal interpreter. It automatically translates different languages so that I can understand.)."

Diego made to speak again but JJ cleared his throat. Diego's chocolate brown eye snapped over to JJ as if assessing him before he turned back to me.

"¿Le hablo a usted más tarde, esta bien? (I'll talk to you later, okay?)" Diego offered.

"Seguro (Sure)," I agreed. "Voy a ver más adelante Diego (I'll see you later Diego)."

JJ then led me over to who he introduced as Ginny Gothel who had brought a barrel of wormy apples so that a game of bob-for-the-wormiest-apple could be started.

"You know a lot of people," I commented in awe to JJ while the loud music played around us.

"Do you want to dance?" JJ asked over the music which set my heart to hammering in my chest. JJ wanted to dance with me?

"I, I don't know how to dance at a party like this," I admitted while looking down at my feet. Because the only parties I ever went to were on Olympus and with some friends I had in Auradon, I was not accustomed to the dancing that they were doing here. It seemed like a more upbeat and wild than what I was used to.

"Hey," JJ said, putting his thumb and index finger around my chin to lift it up. "It's alright Nix. I'll help you. Just listen to the music and follow me."

He came up behind me and put his hands on my waist to help move my body. As per his request I listened intently to the music Diego and his band were playing until I got the beat and rhythm so I could begin to move. The both of us began slowly, JJ no doubt for my sake, to get used to the song. Gradually we picked up speed until the both of us were dancing along with the rest of the crowd. It wasn't long before I felt the rush that it looked like the other people felt as they continued to dance to the music.

"So Nix, about the party. How come you came?"

"Carlo needed help setting up so I offered."

"Carlos is important to you, isn't he?"

"Of course he is. He is my precious little brother. I would do anything for him."

"I don't get it," he sighed in frustration at the devotion and loyalty I felt for my adopted brother.

"I know JJ, and it's alright that you don't. Jafar has drilled it into your mind since you were young that you couldn't trust anybody or rely on them. He told you that you had to look out for no one but yourself."

JJ was going to open his mouth to answer when we were interrupted by the whole room plus the band falling silent at the sight of Mal entering the room as if she owned the place.

"Toad's-blood shots for everyone!" she declared that had everyone jumping back into their partying atmosphere.

"C'mon Nix, I have to introduce you to Mal," JJ insisted while he took a hold of one of my hands before he pulled me after him. Unlike her earlier exclamation, Mal did not attempt to join in the activities.

"Having fun?" he asked the antisocial girl with me by his side. Mal's green eyes lazily rolled over to look at me , but I couldn't find it in myself to be scared. Why exactly is everyone scared of her and her mother? It's not like Maleficent could use magic on the Isle and Mal, even if she was the daughter of the great evil fairy, she could only cast a few spells before she got sick to her stomach. I seemed to have peaked her interest for her body language perked up.

"Is this the infamous Nicola I have heard about?" she inquired with interest.

"Yes," I confirmed with my best smile. "It is also nice to finally meet you Mal."

Mal's eyes flashed from me to JJ then back to me before she voiced her thoughts.

"Is it really true that your parents are Hades and Persephone?"

"Yes."

"Then prove it," she challenged.

My eyebrows rose at the challenge.

"This is childish," I stated in efforts to dissuade her. I did not like how she wanted me to misuse and weaken myself all to prove that I am telling the truth. But if she did not relent, I will have to do it.

"Just do it," she ordered with narrowed eyes, probably unhappy that someone was challenging her authority.

"Fine," I sighed in defeat. "What do you want me to do?"

"Jay said that you make flowers grow for him, so I want you to grow one for me."

I sighed but none the less moved my hands to grow a white rose in my hands then offered it to Mal.

"Is this what you wanted?"

"How come it's not the one you give to Jay?"

I instantly blushed and fidgeted.

"They're different," I told her .

"Oh? Why?"

"I-I, I need to go check on Carlo," I offered before I slipped away to find him.

* * *

It took a few minutes but I was able to find him hiding behind a sheet covering one of the biggest bookcases.

"Carlo? What are you doing behind the sheet?" I asked him while I pulled the sheet open.

"I'm slowly recovering from my encounter with Mal," he admitted. "And I also don't do parties."

"Well how about this, why don't we just hang out together? Just the two of us? Maybe that will help you calm down and so you won't be lonely."

He smiled gratefully at me as he came out from behind the sheet to follow me to the wall beside us. Carlo kept looking straight ahead so I leaned into his side to feel that he was softly shaking. Are the people on the Isle really this afraid of Mal and her mother?

"Do you really want to talk?" I questioned sympathetically to which he only shook his head. "Do you want me to sing you a song?"

"Would you?" he hoped as his big brown eyes sparkled. I couldn't help but giggle at the cuteness that he presented while wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Sure," I smiled warmly. Just to make sure that we weren't disturbed, I gathered shadows around us so that no one would be able to see or hear us but we could see our surroundings. For the purpose of the song I blocked out the sound that would be coming to us. Carlo on the other hand lay his head on my lap to get comfortable while I racked my brain for one of the most comforting and beautiful songs I know. The first one that came to mind was the lullaby Mommy sang to me when I was little.

" Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης Poio to hroma tis agapis (What is the color of love)

ποιος θα μου το βρει poios tha mou to vrei (who will find it for me.)"

While I sang the first two lines of the song, I gently ran my hands through Carlo's hair to get him to relax more.

"Να 'ναι κόκκινο σαν ήλιος Na 'nai kokkino san ilios (If it's red like the sun)

θα καίει σαν φωτιά tha kaiei san fotia (it will burn like fire.)

Κίτρινο σαν το φεγγάρι Kitrino san to feggari (Yellow like the moon)

θα 'χει μοναξιά tha 'hei monaksia (it will be lonely.)"

I could practically feel the tension leave Carlo as my voice reached his ears. I know he didn't understand what I was singing, but he still appreciated the tone of the song.

"Να 'χει τ' ουρανού το χρώμα Na 'hei t' ouranou to hroma (If it has sky's colour)

θα 'ναι μακρινή tha 'nai makrini (it will be far.)

Να 'ναι μαύρο σαν τη νύχτα Na 'nai mavro san ti nihta (Βe black like night)

θα 'ναι πονηρή tha 'nai poniri (it will be sly.)

Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης Poio to hroma tis agapis (What is the color of love)

ποιος θα μου το βρει poios tha mou to vrei (who will find it for me.)-,"

I was right in the middle of the song when Carlo bolted upright with a pale face which made me slightly panic.

"Carlo, what's wrong?"

He didn't even bother to answer me. All he did was hop up from our spot and dash over to where Mal was trying to open a closet. I in turn followed behind Carlo to see just exactly what he was freaking out over. Much to Carlo's satisfaction the door shut but Mal had her arms crossed with a smirk. Oh, this wasn't going to end well.

"New game!" Mal announced loudly to the crowd. "Seven Minutes in Heaven! And you've never played Seven Minutes if you haven't played it in a De Vil closet."

The step-granddaughters were already pushing to the front of the crowd as soon as the words 'Seven Minutes in Heaven' passed through Mal's lips. They all freshened their makeup and they all blew kisses over to JJ who stood in front of the closet door. My heart dropped slightly at the attention Jay was getting, but it made me feel better when JJ didn't acknowledge the flirtatious advances.

"Who wants to go first?" Mal called out to the crowd.

"Me!" chorused the step-granddaughters.

"She does!" JJ offered holding up a familiar blue cape. Wait, is that Evie?

"I do? What do I want to do?" Evie questioned completely confused.

This had me narrowing my eyes at Mal. Just what was she planning with Evie?

"Evie, sweetie! So glad you could make it!" Mal greeted with faux happiness while throwing her arms around Evie like they were best friends. "We're playing Seven Minutes in Heaven! Want to play?"

"Uh, I don't know," Evie answered nervously as if she had no idea how to respond to Mal's friendliness. Poor girl, I thought slightly miffed. Why pick on the girl who has done nothing to you?

"It'll be a scream," Mal persuaded. "Come on, you want to be my friend, don't you?"

Confliction showed in Evie's dark brown eyes.

"You want me to be your friend?" Evie voiced.

"Sure—why not?" Mal smiled sweetly while she led Evie to the door of the closet Carlo was having a fit over earlier and opened the door.

"But doesn't a boy go in here with me?" Evie protested when Mal shoved her into the closet. Just the way Mal was treating Evie was putting me on edge with the blue part of my hair rising to blaze softly like fire.

"Did I say Seven Minutes in Heaven?" Mal pondered aloofly. "No, you're playing Seven Minutes in Hell!"

And with that Mal slammed the door shut which had everyone but me, Carlo, and JJ backtracking away from the closet.

"Mal, what are you doing?" Carlo managed to say through his terror that was slowly morphing to anger.

"Playing a dirty trick—what does it look like I'm doing?"

"You can't leave her in there! Remember what happened to us?" Carlo angrily retorted as he held up his leg that showed faint white scars on his calf. Just what the hell was in the closet to hurt him?

"I do!" Mal gleefully cheered.

My anger grew steadily while Carlo tried to cover up his worry over his new friend.

"If she's not able to get out on her own, I'm going to have to clean up the mess!" he defended himself. "And my mother will freak out! You can't leave her in there!"

While he was scared about his mother, I could tell that his worry outweighed the fear.

"I second that," I added to the smug looking purplette.

"Fine, go get her," Mal said with a sly smirk.

Carlo quaked in fear at Mal's suggestion while I rose up to the challenge.

"Gladly," I retorted amid my flaming hair. "Carlo, are you coming with me?"

"Y-Y-Yeah," he stammered, coming to stand beside me.

"Nix," JJ whispered to me when I stepped closer to the closet door. "You shouldn't go in there."

My eyes narrowed further and I could feel my flames row more wild.

"I am going in there," I declared firmly in defiance. "But you should be ashamed of yourself Jay."

He visibly recoiled as if I had slapped him just as a scream came from the closet. My instincts kicked in at the sound and I turned to Carlo. "You know what to do."

A nod was given before he closed his eyes and held onto me so that I could shadow travel us into the closet. By the time we had entered the closet, we saw Evie trying to skirt around what appeared to be bear traps. I dropped Carlo off at a safe spot before I levitated over to Evie.

"Hey Evie," I called down to her.

She instantly froze but once she recognized my voice, she looked up to see me.

"Nicola," she squeaked in surprise. "What are you doing here? How are floating like that?"

"I can explain later," I assured her. "Right now let's worry about getting you out of here. Take my hand."

She was quick to take hold of my hand so that I could lift her up and float us over to where Carlo waited for us.

"Hey Carlos," Evie greeted my brother with a weak smile.

"Hi Evie."

"Is there anywhere we can go Carlo?" I asked him while the three of us left the fur closet.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I have my lab."

"Oh yeah," I remembered. "You never did get the chance to show me did you?"

All he did was shake his head. "Then let's go."

The two of us made to walk but Evie seemed to hang back.

"Evie, what's the matter? Aren't you coming?" I asked her.

"I'm invited?" she questioned.

"Of course you are," Carlo agreed.

"You're our friend," I added. "And friends stick together."

Evie beamed at our words and seemed to skip beside us.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **Well my lovelies, here is another chapter of Gray Areas up for you. Because I am on summer vacation from college, I can only update from my phone so it may take a while for me to get chapters up for my stories. However, I am making remarkable headway for Ai sa Bastet and am looking to regain my inspiration for An Earthbound Angel. Now that that is said, I will bid you all farewell until a new chapter of one of my stories. Remember to leave a review if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the story. Reviews are magic! ^·^**

 **-White Wolf**


	3. Chapter 2

**Gray Areas Ch.2**

 **Well hello again my lovelies. I have not received any other reviews besides the first two, so there will not be any shout outs for this chapter. Though I look forward to future reviews for future chapters. Without further ado, the quote.**

 **"Living well is the best revenge"**

 **-George Herbert**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Through the back of Hell Hall, we came upon a fairly large treehouse that rested in an old gnarly tree. Evie and Carlos had to climb up the rope ladder while I levitated myself up to the floor.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Evie inquired once we settled down inside.

"It's been nine years, I think," Carlo answered.

"We met over me helping him clean his mother's car."

"What about you flying Nicola?"

"Technically, I was levitating," I corrected her. "It's one of my powers."

While the two of us girls had been talking, Carlo had begun fiddling with one of his gadgets.

"What's this?" Evie asked, holding up a jar of some mystery substance that was white and snowy.

"Oh, that's from Chem Lab. It's sodium polyacrylate—I was trying to see if I could use it as a sponge when mixed with water," Carlo explained.

"What about the machine you're working on," I prodded hopping that he would show us.

"I don't know what to call it yet," he admitted, holding out a box with electrical wires, buttons, and switches. "I think I got the battery to work."

He flipped some switches and pushed some buttons but in the end it only sputtered for a few second then died. His poor little face fell when it did. He tried again only to get a high-pitched squeal out of it before it died again.

"Sorry, I thought I had it," he sheepishly apologized to us.

"It's fine Carlo," I assured him. "Working on these things is all about trial and error. You've just got to remember that if at first you don't succeed, try try again."

My words seemed to have the desired effect for his eyes lit up.

"Maybe try connecting this wire to that one?" Evie suggested after studying the strange black box. At her urge, he peered down at the box only to look back up surprised.

"You're right, they're in the wrong place," he told her while switching the wires and flipping a switch. I could feel the large blast that was going to come from the box so I gathered shadows together to form a shield over all three of us. However, that did not prevent a beam of light shooting up through the plywood ceiling, blasting a hole in the tree-house roof and up to the sky.

"Damn it!" Carlo cursed to my surprise.

"Carlos," I reprimanded him while I lowered the shield.

"Sorry Nicci," he said.

"What the hell just happened?" Evie burst out almost in full freak out mode.

"I don't know Evie," I supplied, getting to my feet. "But let's go see what that beam of light is doing."

To all of our surprise the beam pierced through the dome like a dagger which allowed us to see the night sky directly. Carlo's mysterious black box began to make a strange beeping noise in response to the hole. All three of us rushed back into the treehouse to surround the box that was now giving off an indescribable sound. Just as we were focusing on the box, an old tv Carlo had on one of his counters came to life displaying different scenes at a dizzying speed. The first was Dog With a Blog (which Carlo screamed at, I really do hope that he gets over that sooner or later) to Liv and Maddie to Mighty Med. Wow. Did tv shows from Auradon just show up here on the Isle?

"Look at all these different television shows!" Carlo exclaimed in excitement. "You were telling the truth about that Nicci."

"Of course I was."

Evie on the other hand laughed in delight about what she saw, but just like all good things, it came to an end. With a flicker the tv went dead as well as the box.

"Why'd it stop?" Evie pouted in disappointment.

"I don't know. I think maybe it worked? It penetrated the dome for a second, didn't it?" Carlo mused while cautiously nearing the box and reaching out to touch it with a single finger. It must have been hot because he immediately jerked his hand back.

"Let me see," I offered, taking the box easily into my hands.

"How are you holding that?" Evie wondered half alarmed and half curios.

"I'm the daughter of Hades. One of his powers is fire so I can handle hot things," I explained while I put the box back on the table. "As for your question Carlo, yes, the light did rip a hole in the dome. But, the hole must have patched itself back up."

"Promise you won't tell anyone about what happened, especially about the dome," Carlo pleaded with the both of us. "We could get in real trouble, you know."

"I promise," Evie agreed.

"I don't have anyone to tell," I told him.

From then on the three of us talked and occasionally watched the Auradon News Network. The other two watched the show with new ears and eyes while I watched in mild interest. I already knew all of the news that was on because of my best friend for fifteen years, Prince Benjamin son of Queen Belle and King Beast. I am his royal adviser so I am kept well verse of the going ons of Auradon even from the Isle. The news then turned to the Prince of the Week. I couldn't help but snort at it. Considering I knew all of the princes that could possibly be on the channel, it would be kind of hard for me to gush about them like normal girls. Evie on the other hand was all but glued to the tv in anticipation.

"And the prince featured this week," Snow White began to raise the tension followed by a drum roll. "Is Prince Benjamin, son of Queen Belle and King Beast!"

This earned a hearty laugh from me. Of course this goofy idiot would be features frequently on Prince of the Week.

"Why are you laughing?" Evie questioned me like she believed me to be insane. Well, that is a possibility.

"I'm laughing because I know the dork," I told her. She kind of looked floored at my confession.

"Y-Y-You kn-know Prince Benjamin?"

"Yeah. My mom and I travel to Auradon for the spring and summer. While she goes about helping my grandmother Demeter with the harvest, I play with Prince Ben and his friends."

Once she had gotten over her shock, I could literally see the sparkle in her eye before she launched herself at me with questions.

"Do you like him? Do you like any other princes? Could you tell me about them?"

"Whoa, slow down there girl," I chuckled uneasily. "Yes, I like Prince Ben but only as a brother. As for the other princes, no, no one catches my eye. And no, I will not tell you about them. I won't have my opinions impact how you see them."

She pouted at my answer but she seemed pleased that I did not like any of the princes.

"Even though this was fun, why don't we go to my house?" I offered. "Evie, you're welcome to come with us."

"Really?" she gushed in excitement. "I've never stayed over at a friend's house before."

As soon as the word friend fell from her lips, her eyes widened and she looked scared that I would make fun of her.

"You're fine," I assured her with a wink. "Unlike other people I think that we should be nice to each other. We should also encourage people to make and keep friends."

She instantly relaxed until her face lit up with an idea.

"Before we go, can we let Mal see that I'm not dead or hurt? I really want to rub it in her face that her plan went wrong."

"Usually I would oppose the idea of this," I admitted. "But I think, in just this instance, that we could do that."

Evie beamed at me while Carlo shook his head with a smile as we made our way down the tree.

* * *

When we slipped back into the party, we could see that it was starting to die down. To Evie's satisfaction, Mal was silently fuming about seeing Evie alive and well. I on the other hand tried to avoid JJ as I made my way out. I just couldn't forgive him just yet. I knew that being like this was ingrained into him since birth but it was still a horrible thing. Maybe after I talk to Benjie or sleep on it I can talk to him again. Carlo on the other hand stopped by the group of skeletons to give them the order to make sure no one stayed after the party was over and to clean up afterwards. Now that I'm looking back on it, giving Carlo the skeletons was probably the best gift I could have ever gave him. Once all three of us reached the front yard, Carlo immediately grabbed my hand. Evie only looked on in confusion.

"Just give me your hand," I told her while holding out my free hand. "Make sure to keep your hold and to close your eyes until we reach my house."

She still looked confused but she none the less took the offered hand. Once I made sure that both had their eyes closed, I shadow traveled us to my front yard.

"Alright Evie, you can open your eyes."

Carlos now knew when we had stopped shadow traveling so he simply let go of my hand and strolled into the house. But because Evie was not used to it, she doubled over with her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"What...what was that?" she gasped through her dry heaving.

"That was shadow traveling. It's literally me traveling through the shadows of the world to another destination."

"You really are a goddess," she commented offhandedly to herself before she stood up again to take in our surroundings. It was almost comical when her eyes widened at the sight of the lush greenery that filled my yard in abundance. "What is this?"

"Well, because I am the daughter of Persephone, I have gotten used to seeing flowers and greenery so I made my own little sanctuary here on the Isle."

Her eyes blinked rapidly in disbelief while she walked towards the front door.

"Come on Evie. I have somewhere you can freshen up and change your clothes for the night."

She had no complaints for that and hurried her steps to follow me up to the second floor. "This door immediately to your right is going to be your room when you stay here. As soon as you enter, everything you need should be there so feel free to get to know it before you come to the second door on the left from the stairs."

"M-My room?" she stuttered in confusion.

"Yep. Go on and open the door."

True to my words, as soon as she opened her door the empty room morphed into a room befitting her bark blue, red, and black color scheme. Right by the door to our right was a huge vanity table with a large mirror with a big dresser farther down the wall and a queen sized bed at the far back wall that was laid longways across the whole wall. On the left wall were two doors that I left for Evie to discover.

"Oh my god," Evie breathed in wonder. "This is beautiful Nicola."

"Thank you Evie. Now, remember, when you are finished come to the second door on the left from the stairs."

With that I shadow traveled to my room so that I could flash through a quick shower, dressed in pajamas made up of a spaghetti strap tank top that ended right under my bust with a inch of lace under the hem and a pair of black low rise short shorts, and put all of my hair into a high ponytail. As soon as I finished with that I made my way to the lounge that was right next to my room which was the second door on the left of the second floor hallway where Carlo was setting up drinks and snacks for us.

"Thanks Carlo," I smiled. "I was just going to do that."

"I figured I'd do it since you had to show Evie her room and get changed yourself," he shrugged off my praise with a pleased little smile.

"What did you get?"

"For drinks I brought up bottles of apple juice and for snacks I brought popcorn, chocolate chip cookies, and gummy bears."

As soon as he mentioned gummy bears, my head snapped up. Gummy bears are my absolute favorite snack to at when I'm talking with friends.

"You're the best Carlo," I sighed happily to which he chuckled at. I seriously love my little brother. We were then interrupted by Evie slipping into the room wearing a blue spaghetti strapped camisole pajama set that had its top lined with black lace with a pair of blue ballet flat slippers. "Hey Evie. Come sit down. any of these chairs or couches are fine."

She chose to sit at the black three person couch closest to the door that has the coffee table with the snacks sitting on it.

"What is all this?" she asked, confused about the snacks.

"These are snacks for us," I said. "Help yourself."

I myself grabbed a handful of gummy bears and plopped down next to her while Carlo dragged a black beanbag over to the table, settled down, and snagged a cookie. Evie herself also picked up a cookie only to sniff it. "Go on Evie. It's not going to poison you."

She swallowed down her fear at the foreign food and took a small bite of it. I could tell when the taste flooded her tongue when her eyes widened and she took more bites out of the cookie.

"That is a chocolate chip cookie. It's good isn't it?"

A nod was given as she took another. "By the way Evie, could I give you a nickname? I already gave Jay and Carlos one."

"Sure," she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"Okay, then your nickname if going to be Eve."

"I'll call you La," she told me.

"Feel free to call me whatever," Carlos piped up after he took a sip of his apple juice.

"Alright," I began as I swallowed the last of my gummy bears. "I'm sure you have some questions for me Eve. If you want to ask, now is the time."

"Okay. Uh, how do you fit in in Auradon? I mean, based on what you look like now, you should stick out like a sore thumb."

"That's easy. In the spring and summer I look completely different than in the fall and winter."

"What do you mean completely different?"

"I mean that the color of my hair changes as does my skin color."

"So your eyes are the only thing that doesn't change?"

"Yep."

"What about your powers?"

"You saw my shadow traveling and my levitation," I mused offhandedly. "Besides that I can control shadows, fire, plants, and hellhounds. There are a few other things about me that aren't necessarily a part of my powers, but they are a part of me. The blue part of my hair tends to act like fire when I get angry, I don't have to eat human food but I choose to, I am physically stronger and faster than a human, and I am immortal."

"You don't have to eat human food? What does that mean?"

"The gods have their own food and drink called ambrosia and nectar respectively. If a human was to try to eat any of that, they would be incinerated from the inside out."

Her eyes widened in horror at that.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Anything else?"

"No. I think I've asked everything."

It was then that I heard a clock chime out eleven p.m.

"Alright you two. It's time for bed. The both of you have school in the morning."

"What about my backpack?" Eve inquired worriedly.

"Calm down Eve. Tomorrow I'll shadow travel you to your house to grab it," I assured her. "Right now you should be worrying about getting to sleep."

She nodded dutifully before she stood up and headed for the door.

"Goodnight La, Carlos."

"Goodnight Eve."

"Night Evie."

When she exited the room, that left only Carlo and I in the room.

"It's off to bed with you too Mister," I reminded him.

"I know Nicci," he laughed with an eyeroll. "I'm going."

"Give me a hug before you go."

This time a bigger smile lit his face as she leaned down to give me a hug.

"Night Nicci."

"Goodnight little brother."

* * *

In seconds I was left by myself in the lounge so I gathered up all of our snacks and shadow traveled all of it downstairs to the kitchen. What am I going to do with all of these snacks, I wondered while putting them on the kitchen table. I didn't get to think further on the subject because the air in front of me shimmered letting me know that I was receiving an Iris message. With a sweep of my hand I accepted the call and saw my dorky Benjie's face staring back at me glumly. What happened? He looked like someone obliterated his puppy.

"What's wrong Benjie?" I voiced in concern.

"I messed up Coco," he sighed in defeat while scrubbing his face with his hands. "I royally messed up."

While mentally putting aside his pun, I crossed my legs and readied myself for the story.

"Alright Benjie, lay it on me."

After heaving a deep sigh he told me all about how his meeting with the sidekicks had went downhill in a matter of minutes. Damn.

"I don't know what to do Coco," he confessed desperately. "Maybe I'm not ready for the throne."

He did not just go there.

"You listen here Benjamin Florian Beast," I interrupted firmly, my hair softly fluttering with fire. This managed beautifully to shut him up and listen to me. "You are going to be a good and fair king. You can't let one little hiccup stand in your way. Need I remind you how many mistakes your father made before he met your mother?"

He didn't even have an answer for that.

"Thought so. Now, why don't we read over all of their requests and find out a compromise for them?"

"All of the pages?" he questioned in shock.

"Yes. All one thousand and one pages. We both know you're a fast reader and a concerned listener so you should use the both of them together."

"You're right," he agreed with a smile as he dove into the papers.

"I know I'm right. I'm always right. You just doubt me."

All I got out of him was a slight rolling of the eyes while he continued to read the papers. In record time, which is ten minutes exactly, Benjie looked up from the packet and flipped back to the first issue.

"Alright. The first one is that Ariel's sisters. They give undersea tours all year round without taking a penny even in the busy season. They want compensation for all of their efforts. And then Flounder is complaining about how he's collecting so much for Ariel's treasure but he's not getting anything in return."

"Okay. For the sisters, they should charge a silver coin per tour and talk to Ariel about giving poor Flounder a break. Next one."

"Perdy and Pongo are complaining about all one hundred and one puppies. They want to know that all will be taken care of."

"Well, I can't think of anything other than to ensure their education. Maybe set up a scholarship for all of the puppies. What else?"

"The miners are complaining about their families after they die."

"That's understandable," I mumbled to myself while I crossed my legs and nibbled on some gummy bears. I needed my favorite snack to think. C'mon Nicola, the great goddess Athena taught you how to think and process information after you were appointed Benjie's adviser. Hmm, if the dwarves are worried about their family then some compensation should be taken from their haul. Wait, I got it! "You should take half of the miners bounty and put it in a 401D Fund. This will act as a retirement fund for them when they can no longer work. The other half will still go towards the kingdom. Next on the agenda?"

"Merriweather, Flora, and Fauna are complaining about how they can't use magic. They want to be able to use it for their chores."

"Well, you can't do anything about that except arrange a meeting between the three fairies and the Fairy Godmother."

"Noted. There is also the issue with Genie. He wants unlimited travel within the kingdom. Not everyone is willing to agree with that."

"Not everyone meaning King Beast mostly?"

"I'm ignoring that."

I giggled at his diversion of the question while shaking my head. We moth know that it was his father who put up the most opposition.

"That should be fine as long as he clears his planned route out with the kingdom first."

"The woodland creatures also want some compensation for all their hard work."

"Quite frankly I don't see how they are still working the old fashioned way. We're in the twenty-first century so they should have access to all the cleaning technology we have."

"And the last issue is the mice. They also want compensation for their work."

"I think for all of their hard work, they should be given the best cheese in the kingdom. From King Beast's own larders."

"I can't tell you how much you took off my shoulders Coco," he smiled while running his hands through his hair. While he did this, I could also see that something else was troubling him. But what was it?

"Spill Benjie," I urged him.

"Whatever could you be talking about Coco?" he laughed nervously, not meeting my eyes.

"Whenever you run your hands over your face or through your hair you're troubled by something. Not to mention that suspicious laugh you just gave me."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Not really. I just know you almost as well as I know myself. Now spill before I make you."

"Alright. Alright. Remember the purple haired girl that I dream about?"

When Benjie had first told me about the girl, I had thought the girl was just a figment of his imagination. But when I came back to the Isle some time later, I had saw Mal. She matched the exact description that Benjie had given me. At first I was in shock. How did Benjie have dreams about a girl he had never even met? A trip to see Aphrodite was enough to clear that up. She had given Benjie the dreams because they are true loves. My eyes had widened at her words, and with me being young, I had asked her who my true love was. She only winked at me and told me that I knew my true love. All I needed to do was make a move. Considering I knew a lot of people, the answer was cryptic like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Yeah. Your dream girl. What about her?"

"I've been having dreams about her." My eyes narrowed at his blushed confession as I read him. I already know he dreams about her, so why would he- Oh! A smug smirk overtook my features while I looked at him. Mr. Casanova was having sex dreams about Mal. This was simply divine.

"Has Benjie been having sex dreams about his dream girl?" I teased him.

"Coco-,"

"What happens in your dream? Do you tease her mercilessly until she's writhing underneath you? Are her moans and cries music to your ears? Do you lose it when you bring her to orgasm while screaming your name?"

"Coco!" he scolded me in abashed horror as the blush on his face grew. "How can you talk like that?!"

"I blame the Isle," I brushed off easily with a blank face. "Now, you didn't answer my questions."

"W-W-What of it," he stammered while he put his head down.

"Aww! Benjie, you are adorable!" I giggled. He only cleared his throat and redirected the conversation.

"What about Jay?" he inquired, fully aware of my crush on the son of Jafar. This was enough to ruin my good mood, my face falling into a scowl and my hair to softly glow.

"I am cross with him," I huffed out.

"God help him," he muttered under his breath while he raised his eyes towards his ceiling. "What has he done?"

I explained what had happened at the party, the remnants of my anger still present, and what I had said to JJ.

"I can't believe him."

"Coco," he groaned while burying his face in his hands which made me bristle. It felt like he was telling me off.

"What?"

"He was trying to protect you you dork."

I could feel my eyebrows furrow in confusion. JJ was trying to protect me.

"He said what he said because he didn't want you to go in there and get hurt like Evie would have."

"He...He was worried about me?" I choked out in horror about what I said to him.

"Yes, he was."

"Oh my gods!" I cried in distress. "How could I have been so horrible and told him that?! I thought he just wanted Mal's plan to work!"

"Calm down Coco," Benjie said gently. "All you need to do is apologize to him. I'm sure he'll forgive you. You're too cute to stay mad at."

"Benjie!"

"I'm joking! I'm joking!" he chuckled. "But seriously. I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"I hope so Benjie. I hope so."

"Now go get some rest Coco. You have to be up for Carlos in the morning."

"Love you Benjie."

"I love you too Coco."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

With that we ended the Iris message leaving me feeling really horrible. I can't believe that I said that to my crush. And he looked so hurt when I said that. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes when I felt someone enter the vicinity and make their way to the front door? Who was it that that was coming? I silently stood from my seat in the kitchen to slip into the shadows of the house so I could see who was intruding. The first thing I saw about the person was that they were swiping some of the things I had decorating the foyer. Really? How did they get in? I wasted no time in rushing forward to attack the unknown person who was stealing my things. They must have heard me for they spun around only to see me pin them down by having my legs pin down their arms by their biceps and holding a dagger in case I needed to kill them. Even though I tried not to kill people, I also knew that this was the Isle of the Lost. It was either you or the other person when you were attacked.

"Whoa, Nix, I didn't know you were this angry," came JJ's voice from underneath me. My eyes widened in shock and horror at what I had done before I slid back from pinning him while dropping the dagger. Upon seeing that I wasn't going to hurt him, he sat up so that his chest was level with my head.

"JJ," I whispered in shock. "I'm….I'm,"

I couldn't even say anymore due to the sobs that wracked through my body as I clutched him close.

"Nix! What-,"

"I'm so sorry JJ," I sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"Look it's cool Nix," he offered uneasily, no doubt not used to a crying female. "I'm not mad."

All I did was shake my head into his chest while clutching the fabric of his signature leather jacket. He sighed at my inability to talk before he wrapped his warm, strong arms around me.

"Just so you know, this feels really weird."

All I could do was laugh through my tears. It felt so nice being held like this by my crush. Hearing his heart beat right under my head and his chest rise and fall in breath. Soon enough my tears dried and I looked up at his dark brown. eyes.

"Look JJ, I'm sorry about attacking you just now, but I am also sorry for what I said at the party."

"No, you were right Nix. I should have minded my own business. Villains aren't-,"

"Will you shut up Jay," I sighed in exasperation, tugging on his vest. "I thought you wanted Mal's plan to work instead of you warning me."

"Well, I still owe you from saving my life," he huffed, a faint flush in his cheeks. "Twice."

"Thank you JJ," I smiled up at him, wishing I could kiss him. It's not like I can't, right? Just a little peck on the cheek? Before I could second guess myself further, I leaned up and pressed a quick peck to his cheek. His eyes widened while I sat back with a growing blush on my cheeks. I can't believe I did that, I scolded myself. I didn't even know if JJ liked me that way. I- My train of thought stopped as soon as JJ's lips met mine. What?! His mouth then began to move which snapped me out of my daze. Oh my gods! JJ was kissing me! And it's not a dream! My eyes then shut quickly as I threw myself into the kiss. He seemed to pick up on that I didn't know what I was doing so he carefully led me through the motions until I was gripping his vest tighter while his large hands settled on my waist. We stayed like that for minutes until the both of us couldn't breath. It was then that we broke apart and caught our breath with JJ resting his forehead against my own, his breath washing over my cheeks. Did I just do that? Did I just have my first kiss with Jay?

"What did you come over for?" I asked him.

"I don't remember," he admitted breathlessly. We both shared a laugh at this as we both sat up.

"Are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry."

"Great. We have some snacks left over that you're welcome to."

I made to get up from him but he kept me in place.

"I really don't want you to get up," he pouted which had my heart melting. Damn it Nicola. Do not fall for his charms. You need to get up and get some sleep.

"But I have to JJ," I told him. "Though you could stay the night. You already have a room here."

"I have a room here?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course you do. You've had one here since the day after you had breakfast here with Carlo and I."

"Sweet," he grinned while he got to his feet, his grip tight on my waist. "Let's go get that food first."

"Uh, JJ, you can put me down now."

All he did was ignore me and carry me into the kitchen. Oh well, I sighed. Might as well just go with it. As soon as he saw the snacks on the kitchen table, he strode over, sat down in a seat with me in his lap, then dug into the popcorn. While he stuffed his face, I was left to think about what had just happened between JJ and I. Was that just a kiss to JJ or was it something more? Am I reading too much into this? Does JJ like me like I like him?

Within minutes JJ had cleaned out all of the snacks along with my poor gummy bears and the apple juice. Goodbye my sweet, sweet gummy bears, I said in my head. May you find peace in JJ's belly instead of mine.

"That was amazing Nix, thanks," JJ sighed happily.

"No problem JJ," I assured him while I slid down from his lap. "Just let me put these dishes in the sink and then I'll show you to your room."

He rose from his chair and obediently waited for me at the door while I did what I needed.

"Alright JJ. I need you to hold onto my hand and close your eyes. Make sure to keep your eyes closed and don't let go."

He said nothing but did as I said so that I could shadow travel us up to the second floor.

"What the fuck was that?" he rasped in fear when we appeared at the top of the steps.

"You opened your eyes didn't you?"

A slow nod was given as he regained his wits.

"That was shadow traveling. It's a power of mine that allows me to teleport to different places using the shadows. While I teleport, I am literally part of the shadow so I don't have to picture where I'm going before I travel."

"But what were all the pale things and smoke and-,"

"That was the Fields of Punishment. It's where all the souls who have done evil end up when they die."

His eyes widened in fear at what could possibly await him if he died.

"Then I could-,"

"Probably not," I waved off. "You haven't killed anybody or tortured them. I'm pretty sure you're good."

He let out an audible breath of relief at my words.

"How can you look at that like it's nothing?"

"I am the daughter of Hades. I've seen things like that since I was born."

"You're amazing Nix."

"Thanks. I try. Now, your room isn't decorated yet. However, once you step through the doorway it will decorate itself to suit your tastes."

Confusion showed on his face at my words, but he none the less opened the door to our immediate left to show a room decorated in a purple, brown, blue, red, and yellow color scheme that reminded me of the Arabian decor of Agrabah. To the left of the doorway was a little place for exercise equipment that led to a door on the left wall. On the back wall was a king size bed whose head was facing the doorway and on the farthest right wall was a large dresser that led to another door further up on the right hand wall.

"Is this all mine?" he blinked in surprise.

"Of course it is," I assured him. "Everything in this room is yours, but you have school tomorrow. You should get some sleep."

All he could do was nod numbly as he stepped into the room. "Goodnight JJ."

"Night."

I made to leave but him calling my name made me stop.

"Yeah JJ?"

"Thanks."

"Not a problem," I smiled back before I retired to my room.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **There we go lovelies, another chapter to Gray Areas. Because I am visiting family with a computer, I am able to post chapters a little bit sooner seeing as though typing on a keyboard is easier than on a phone. As always if you have any question, comments, or concerns with the story, feel free to leave a review. Remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	4. Chapter 3

**Gray Areas Ch. 3**

 **Looks like I'm on a roll with this story. ^.^ Though I guess having some of the story already typed up on Google Drive had some influence too. Anyways, that was all I had to say so let's get on with the quote.**

 **"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."**

 **-Laura Ingalls Wilder**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

The next morning I woke and dressed in another one of my black Greek dresses with an open back down to the small of my back, bare feet, and my hair free down to my calves. My first person to wake up was Carlo since I knew how to wake him. Then I moved on to Eve.

"Eve," I called out softly while I walked up to her bed. "Eve."

She stirred slightly at my voice and turned towards me. I rolled my eyes good naturedly at her as I began to shake her. "Eve."

This time her eye opened blearily and she gave a huge yawn.

"La?" she asked through her disorientation.

"Hey Eve. You need to get up for school."

She groaned from in her pillow but she none the less rose from her bed. "I'll see you downstairs for breakfast."

My last stop was right across from her room where JJ's was.

"JJ," I said as I knocked on his door. I didn't know when he woke up and I didn't want to barge in with him half naked so it would be my best bet to knock first. I didn't get an answer from him so I pushed open his door to see his amongst messed up covers one of his arms under a pillow while his long hair was everywhere. I had to stifle a giggle at the sight as I made my way over to his bed.

"JJ," I tried again, touching his exposed shoulder lightly. The moment I touched him I went flying over him until I was underneath him on his bed.

"Nix?" he asked when he saw me.

"I guess this makes us even," I smiled up at him. "It's time to wake up. We'll have breakfast down in the kitchen once you've gotten dressed."

I tried to sit up but JJ didn't move an inch. "JJ?"

"Huh, oh," he mumbled sitting up on his haunches so that I could roll off the bed.

"I'll see you downstairs."

After quickly shadow traveling down to the kitchen, I started making biscuits and gravy with a side of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried diced potatoes. I also made lunches for all three of them since the school didn't provide lunch. Carlo all but skipped into the room with wild hair while Eve and JJ meandered into the room.

"Good morning," I greeted them all while I placed plates down at the table. "Carlo, you didn't brush your hair."

He ducked his head in embarrassment and accepted the comb I handed him.

"Morning Nicci."

"Good morning La," Eve chirped, now all bright and cheerful.

"Morning Nix," JJ yawned. Carlo and JJ automatically went to their usual seats while Eve took the empty seat next to Carlo.

"What is this?" Eve and JJ questioned the food on their plate.

"Breakfast," I told them. "Go on and eat up. It's good."

JJ needed no other persuading from me before he tore into his meal. All I could do was shake my head at his behavior. Carlo was exactly the same when he first came to live with me. "JJ, you can eat slower. The food isn't going anywhere."

He rolled his eyes at me but he slowed down all the same. Both JJ and Carlo asked for seconds while Eve simply put her dishes in the sink upon my instructions.

"That was delicious La," she praised me.

"There is food that is better mine," I told her. "But thank you."

Once the two boys were done with their food, I had them come over to me. "JJ, do we need to make a pitstop at your house to grab your backpack?"

"Nah," he said. "I'll be fine without it."

"Alright, then I want everyone to hold hands. I'm going to drop JJ and Carlo off at Dragon Hall first."

And just like that we were off and in front of the school.

"And here's your lunches," I announced while I handed them out.

"Thank you Nicci," Carlo beamed, throwing in a quick hug before he ran off.

"Thanks Nix," JJ said with a light punch to my arm.

"You're welcome JJ. You're welcome to come back to the house after school."

"Am I going to get tackled again?" he teased with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

"No," I blushed at the mention of what had happened last night. Eve raised an eyebrow at our conversation, but kept quiet. "Don't ask."

"I'll be there," he promised before he too disappeared into the building.

"Alright Eve. Let's stop by your house and grab your backpack."

Picking up Eve's backpack and dropping her off at school went by without a hitch which left me with virtually nothing to do except clean and train until school ended. Towards the end of the school day, I started making spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread for dinner. I had a feeling we would be receiving another guest so I made a little bit more than I normally did. When I went to the school to pick up Carlo, Eve was the only one waiting with him.

"Where's JJ?" I asked them when I didn't see him.

"He said he was coming back later," Carlo told me.

"Okay. Why don't we get a move on then, shall we?"

* * *

When we got back to my house, Carlo and Eve put their backpacks in their rooms then came back down to the kitchen where I was working on dinner.

"What are you making La?" Eve questioned me while she watched me make the meatballs.

"Spaghetti." Once I had them made I threw them in a pan with olive oil while I began boiling the noodles and popped the garlic bread in the oven. We had about forty-five minutes until everything was ready so I grabbed the CLUE game I had from the lounge on the second floor. "Do you guys want to play a game of-,"

"Nix! I'm back!" JJ called out as he came into the kitchen with Mal by his side.

"Hello Mal," I greeted her cooly, still not forgiving her for what she had almost done to Eve.

"Nicola, Evie, Carlos," Mal returned. "Nicola, Jay has brought to my attention a wonderful ability you have. A certain 'shadow traveling' I think you call it?"

"What about it?" I challenged with slightly narrowed eyes. I did not like where this was going.

"I want you to help me with something."

"Oh?"

"We want to get into the Library of Forbidden Secrets in Dragon Hall, but the only person who has a key is Dr. F. However, if we have you, we could get into there no problem."

"Why should I help you?"

"You get to come with us and make sure Jay doesn't get himself hurt."

"Where exactly are you going?"

"To the Forbidden Fortress."

"What in Zeus's name are you going there for?"

"My mother is absolutely sure that her Dragon's Eye staff is active again so she wants me to retrieve it."

"How did it reactivate?" Eve piped up. "Our parents don't have their magic anymore."

"Jay and I think that there was a hole in the dome or something."

At her words Carlo's, Eve's, and my eyes widened. "So there was? What caused it?"

"One of my machines," Carlo said while shaking slightly. To comfort him I put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed them.

"I don't believe you," Mal accused haughtily. "Prove that you're telling the truth."

"Mal," JJ interrupted as he squirmed uneasily. "I believe Nix."

"That's you. I'm different."

"Fine," I sighed angrily, causing my hair to ignite. "I'll show you."

Without further ado, I gathered shadows together that I formed into a sort of screen where I showed my memories of last night. Carlo and Eve fidgeted as they relived the experience while Mal and JJ watched with dropped jaws at the scene. As soon as it was over, I dispersed the shadows and looked back at Mal to try to challenge what I had showed her.

"So you were telling the truth."

"No fucking duh Sherlock," I grumbled under my breath causing everyone but Mal to stare at me in shock.

"Hey Carlos, do you have your machine here?" Mal asked ignoring my comment.

"Yeah."

"Then go get it. I need to see it."

He looked unsure about it but I gave his shoulder a squeeze and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's alright Carlo. Go get it."

"Based on your mother's staff coming back to life," I began in hopes to get Mal out of my house faster. "I would say that the hole in the dome allowed magic to come back for a split second. Just enough to kickstart anything magical that has been sleeping all this time."

"That makes sense," Mal mused to herself. In seconds Carlo was back with his box in hand, looking over at Mal with apprehension. "Can you make it work again?"

"No," Carlo admitted fearfully. "I've tried to make it work again but all I get is it beeping off and on."

Like a tracking device, I realized with wide eyes.

"Carlo, let me see that."

There was no hesitation in his handing over the machine.

"What are you doing?" Mal demanded while watching me.

"I'm going to trace the box's tracking object to see if it actually does lead to something magical."

This was enough to pacify her so I closed my eyes and let my own magic flood the machine and shoot out with its own signal. I could feel it soar through the Isle, past some miles of land, until it landed amongst a place of great and evil magic. Holy fuck. With a gasp my eyes snapped open and I stumbled slightly. JJ and Carlo were the first ones to react and each sent an arm out to steady me.

"Well?" Mal pressed eagerly despite my state.

"I'd say that it leads to your mother's staff," I told her with a shaky breath.

"That is wonderful!" Mal cheered. "Now I'll just be taking this."

"No," I said firmly at the distressed face Carlo was making. "Like hell I'm letting you take something that Carlo has worked so hard over." Even though I was weakened from the use of my magic, I could see that Mal was wary about trying to challenge me.

"Fine," she huffed angrily. "Then you're coming with us Carlos. We need that little device to find the Dragon's Eye."

"There is no way Carlo is going to the Forbidden Fortress!" I shouted. "He could get hurt!"

"I second that," Carlo piped up.

"Then why don't you come with us?" Mal offered. "That way you can make sure that he doesn't get hurt."

I glared over at her but I knew that she was not going to let this go.

"Fine."

"If they're going, I'm coming too," Eve announced bravely.

"Thanks Eve," I smiled.

"Your loyalty and kindness sickens me," Mal gagged.

I rolled my eyes at her and handed Carlo his machine so that I could work on the last stretch on dinner.

"We should head out early tomorrow," JJ suggested. "Tomorrow's Saturday so there will be nobody around to see us. We can stop by the-,"

"I have everything we could need for our trip here," I insisted. "We all could sleep here and head out in the morning together. As for right now, we have dinner."

Eve, Carlo, and JJ cheered happily and raced to the table while Mal looked uncomfortable and shifted uneasily. "What are you waiting for Mal. Dinner includes you. Go grab that seat across from Eve."

She slowly made her way to the table while I whipped the spaghetti together and carried it along with the garlic bread to the table. Once their plates were placed in front of them, Carlo and JJ dug in happily. Eve, like the classy princess she is, twirled her spaghetti around her fork with a spoon. Mal still looked uncomfortable, but she began to eat as well.

"After dinner I'll show you to your room," I told her. "That way you can change into some pajamas."

"Why are you so nice?" Mal questioned me. "You kind of freak me out."

"That's just Nicci/Nix/La," Carlo, JJ, and Eve chorused together. All I could do was smile at the explanation that they gave Mal. It was nice to have friends like this. Mal didn't have any words for their comment so she simply continued to eat her food. Like always Carlo and JJ got seconds while Eve and Mal settled for one plate each.

"Alright everyone, now is the time for us to sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow."

Carlo and Eve followed my instructions dutifully by dumping their dishes in the sink then heading upstairs.

"Okay Mal, I'll show you to your room so that you can turn in for the night."

"My room?" she echoed in confusion.

"Yes, your room," I confirmed easily. "Since you're going to be a part of our group, you might as well have a room here. If you will please give me your hand….,"

Mal was weary about giving her hand to me but she none the less followed my request.

"Now I need you to close your eyes until I tell you to open them."

I then shadow traveled us to the second floor in front of the room directly across from mine.

"Alright Mal, you can open your eyes now."

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled her hand from mine before she pushed open the door in front of her. The empty room quickly morphed into a room with purple, green, and magenta color scheme that influenced all of her furniture.

"Everything you need should be in here, but feel free to come to my room across the hall if you need anything. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

With that I shadow traveled back to the kitchen where JJ was stacking dishes out of the sink.

"Hey JJ," I called to him that made him jump slightly.

"Hey Nix," he returned sheepishly. "I was working on getting this done for you since you made dinner."

My heart swelled with warmth at JJ's sweetness which brought a soft smile to my lips.

"Thanks JJ. Why don't the both of us work together?"

And just like that that both of us eased through the task of washing the dishes and putting them away before we went on to packing the backpacks for tomorrow. There was a deep purple one for Mal, a dark blue and red one for Evie, a black and white one for Carlos, and a red backpack fro Jay. The first thing we packed in there were flashlights (two just to be safe), first aid kits, a knife, water bottles, and food. As a last touch I strapped a sleeping bag on top of all the backpacks in case the trip took longer than the day I expected.

"Are we really going to need all of this?" JJ asked me while eyeing the backpacks.

"Probably not," I answered easily. "But it is better to be over prepared than under-prepared."

He nodded in agreement before he swung his backpack up onto his shoulder.

"Wait, what about you? Where's your backpack?"

"I have that covered JJ," I assured him. "All you have to worry about is making sure you dress in comfortable clothes."

I then hefted all the three remaining backpacks and threw a good night over my shoulder to JJ so that I could slip the backpacks into the others' rooms then headed off to my room. A well deserved hot shower relaxed my muscles and helped me unwind for bed. Once I left the little bit of heaven, I dried then brushed out my hair not bothering to get dressed in pajamas. When there was no one but me in my room, I preferred to sleep naked. I don't know how to explain it but the way the sheets and blanket felt over bare skin was sort of…comforting. It wasn't even five minutes from laying down did I slip into the pleasant abyss known as sleep.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **There we go lovelies, another chapter to Gray Areas. As always if you have any question, comments, or concerns with the story, feel free to leave a review. Remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	5. Chapter 4

**Gray Areas Ch.4**

 **"Adventure is worthwhile"**

 **-Aesop**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Almost like an alarm clock, my body jerked me awake telling me that it was time to get up. Unlike what one would think about being jerked awake, I felt well rested and energized climbing out from under my covers. After a bout of stretching out my limbs, I made my bed then padded over to my closet to choose an outfit for the day. Instead of my usual long and flowing robes, I donned robes that was backless down to my lower back and had a loose plunging v neckline which showed a generous amount of my cleavage and the side of my breasts from where the robes came forward from the back. Right under my breasts was a silver metalwork belt that had beautiful leaves worked into it. The hem of the robes came down to the middle of my thighs in black pleats lined with silver and a pair of black sandals covered my normally bare feet whose laces criss crossed up my calves to my knees. My hair also had a makeover with its calf length tresses being coiled up into a messy bun with my bangs and fringe free and a black thorn hair bunch decorating my head. As final touches to my outfit I strapped a quiver of silver arrows to my left hip along with a small pouch that was enlarged on the inside, a pair of silver metal arm guards that had flowers and my father's symbol worked into the metal, and a black thigh holster I strapped to the outside of my right thigh. Alright Nicola, it's time to wake up the others. Mal's room was my first stop seeing as though it was directly across from mine.

"Mal," I called out from the doorway. "It's time to wake up."

A groan could be heard from her bed at the farthest wall from the door before she slipped from under her blankets.

"Remember to dress comfortably."

Carlo's room was next with getting him up proving to be easy. Eve then JJ followed soon after so that I could hurry to make breakfast for everyone. This morning I decided to make french toast, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon along with our milk and fruit. Mal and Carlo were the first ones to enter the kitchen.

"Good morning Nicci," Carlo greeted me easily as he slid into his seat at the table.

"Good morning Carlo. Morning Mal," I directed to the purple haired girl.

"What's with your outfit?" she asked me when she saw my attire.

"This is one of my more comfortable dresses."

"Why don't you wear pants?"

"Because when I'm with my father, I tend to dress more in Ancient Greek clothes."

She raised her eyebrow at this but said nothing else while she sat down in her chair. JJ was the next one to come into the kitchen wearing his usual sleeveless leather jacket.

"Good morning JJ," I smiled to the slightly sleepy sixteen year old.

"Good morn-," he began but stopped when he caught sight of my clothes. The first thing that happened was that his eyes widened and then his jaw dropped slightly that had me fidgeting under his gaze. What was he staring at me for? Was my clothes really that strange? Eve then walked in which seemed to snap JJ out of his trance.

"What's for breakfast La?" she questioned, taking her seat at the table.

"French toast," I told her while I placed the plates at the table. "Did all of you see the backpacks I placed in your rooms?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Then as soon as we finish eating we can head out."

* * *

After we had finished eating our group met outside my house.

"How do you get so much green to grow?" Mal asked skeptically while eyeing my garden.

"Now is not the time to focus on that," I told her. "Right now I need to focus on getting us into the school. Now everyone, I need you to hold each other's' hands, but don't let go, and keep your eyes shut or you will be scarred. Am I understood?"

Carlo, Eve, and JJ all hurriedly followed my orders while Mal tool longer, making sure to throw a look my way before she did so. In seconds I had us shadow traveling through the Isle until we reached Dragon Hall, but I did not stop there. I also went further into the school and to a door that had a giant spider guarding a door. This must be it, I thought as I slid past the guard easily and deposited us inside the room.

"Here we are," I announced, taking in the tall wobbly bookshelves that lined the Forbidden Library of Dragon Hall. Many of the books that resided on the bookshelves were tattered, water logged, and showed various other signs of abuse. There were also questionable vials on the bookshelves filled with potions. Okay, since I'm looking for a map of the Isle, I'm most likely looking for a blank roll of parchment. The owners were most likely smart enough to make the map in invisible ink.

"Nicci, could you give us some light?" Carlos nervous voice sounded somewhere to my right. I didn't even pause in my search to make all of the candles ignite so that the others could see.

"Thanks."

After about ten minutes I had located the yellowing parchment.

"I found it," I announced to the others as I removed the scroll from a bookshelf. "Carlo, do you think you can whip up some antidote to the invisible ink?"

"Yeah. I just need the Chem Lab."

"Then lead the way."

We traveled through many hallways until we entered a room filled with beakers, tubes, and different kinds of substances stored in jars. Carlo seemed to go through a transformation as soon as we hit the doorway. Gone was his hesitant and timid aura while he moved about the lab with familiarity pulling bottles, beakers, and powders off of shelves to combine them in a bowl. I would be lying if I said I wasn't proud of how Carlo took charge of the situation.

"Is that magic?" JJ asked, watching Carlo make the antidote.

"No, it's science," Carlo explained through his concentration. "Like what humans have to do."

A frown then marred his features.

"But I don't have the binder."

"Isn't that what sparks the reaction?" I voiced worriedly.

"Yeah," he sighed in frustration. "Reza must have stolen it from the lab last week. I can't finish the antidote without it."

"Reza stole a vial from the lab?" JJ piped up.

"He must have," Carlo insisted. "It's not here."

"This vial, perhaps?" JJ grinned while pulling a small stoppered test tube that held some sort of sparkly liquid from the many pockets of his vest.

"Oh, you kleptomaniac genius!" I exclaimed with joy as I threw my arms around his shoulders. One of JJ's arms came to wrap around my mostly bare back while he handed the vial over to Carlo. Carlo then made quick work of finishing the antidote so I slipped out of JJ's hold to place the map on the countertop. Just like magic the map appeared on the parchment showing the Forbidden Fortress in all its menacing glory on the edge of the island in the middle of nowhere.

"Alright gang," I spoke up after rolling up the map. "I can shadow travel us to the edge of the village, but only to there. We'll have to walk the rest of the way. I want to keep my strength in case if we need it."

Mal looked like she wanted to argue, but she kept her mouth shut. Smart girl. I held my hands out to the others and they all took each others hands and closed their eyes as I took us to the edge of the village.

Once we stopped I voiced it to the others so that we could from our group. Mal took up the front so I handed over the map with Eve behind her then came JJ, Carlo, and me at the very back. If I were to choose how we were to travel, I would put the slower ones in front to set the pace while the strong were in the back, but since it was Mal's mission I kept my thoughts to myself.

"Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to work we go," Carlo sang under his breath to pass the time we were walking.

"Carlo," I reprimanded when I saw the shudder that passed through Eve.

"What?" he asked before he saw how Eve took the song. "Oh."

"So how is your mom Eve?" I piped up. "I mean I've only briefly met her when we grabbed your backpack."

"Well, she treats me like a princess," she began with a small laugh. "But sometimes she pretends to be a Magic Mirror and tells me that I'm far from the fairest in the land."

My eyes widened at the confession and I could feel the blue in my hair start to flame. Carlo stopped in his tracks while the other two stared at Eve in shock.

"Really? But you're gorgeous," Jay said to cheer Eve up. "I mean, you're not my type, sweetheart, but you've got to know you're good-looking."

"Do you really think so?" she asked, her brown eyes shining with hope. That seemed to make JJ decide he was being to nice so he resorted to what he was comfortable with.

"Nah, you're mom's right—you're ugly," he teased.

"That sucks that she does that," said Carlos quietly.

"Whatever," Eve said nonchalantly to hide her hurt. "It's not like I care."

"You really mean that?" Carlo pried.

"I mean, it's not like your mom is any different, right?" Eve pointed out.

"I guess not."

"And your dad, Jay? Doesn't he only care about the shop?" Eve directed to JJ. He seemed to think on that before he spoke.

"Yeah, of course. But what else is he supposed to care about?" he asked honestly.

Hearing all of this coming from them about their parents made me feel bad about my easy life with my parents.

"What about you La?" Eve questioned.

"My parents dote on me like a princess," I admitted. "They make sure that I'm always happy. When I was little they would always tuck me in. they always make sure to tell me that they love me…"

They all looked sad at what I told them. They were all lonely people who longed for something like that, yet I was the one with all that they wanted.

"I'm sorry guys," I apologized. "It must suck to hear that."

"It's alright Nicci," Carlo assured me.

"I asked," Eve added.

We all then lapsed into silence as we picked our way through the trees and bushes. As we walked, gray fog seemed to lap at our feet. JJ had went on ahead to scout out the path while the rest of us kept a steady pace. All the while since our talk, I couldn't help but think about my parents. Maybe they all should meet them, I mused to myself. They already have rooms at my house so that should be something. A sharp whistle then pierced the air that originated from JJ's direction which Mal returned. Eve and Carlo on the other hand looked nervous at the unexpected noise. JJ then jogged to the group looking alert and concerned.

"What's wrong JJ?" I asked him.

"I saw something—in the shadow. Hide!" he whispered fiercely, disappearing behind a rock. Carlo yelped and tried to climb a tree, the bark scratching his knees. Eve screamed softly and dove behind some blackberry bushes. Mal just froze which prompted me to step in front of her and swirl my arms causing a long curved stygian iron sword to appear in each hand from smoke and blue fire. Whatever was coming after us would taste my steel before they harmed any of my friends. The shadow ahead of us seemed to grow bigger and bigger until a canine like silhouette could be seen. Wait- The wail like howl was all I needed to discard my weapons in another whirl and step forward with a large smile.

"Nix, what are you doing?" JJ hissed at me while looking between me and the shadow worriedly. I ignored him and held my arms out wide.

" Azazel!" I called out, enticing a beautiful black furred canine from the fog who rivaled the size of a horse with red glowing eyes, smoke billowing from tufts like fur from his elbows and knees. A large, booming bark shook the ground before my pet hellhound bounded up to me. I happily ran to him amongst the protests of my party before I launched myself at him causing the both of us to go tumbling in a heap. "What are you doing here you naughty boy?"

 _ **I wanted to play**_ , he pouted with a whine.

In the distance I could hear Carlo hyperventilating at the sight of my pet.

"I can't right now Azel," I told him. "I have to help my friends get to the Forbidden Fortress."

 _ **I can take you there**_ , he offered happily. _**I know where it is.**_

"Why thank you Azazel," I grinned as I untangled myself from him and stood. "You can come out guys. Azazel won't hurt you."

JJ and Eve came out from their hiding places and ventured over hesitantly with Mal whi had unfroze. Carlo was the only one who still looked scared.

"C'mon Carlo, he won't hurt you."

"But dogs are rabid pack animals," he argued.

 _ **I take offense to that.**_

"Carlo, you hurt his feelings," I told him. "He is not rabid and he is as smart as you and me. Maybe even smarter."

A happy bark left him at that and his head found a place under my arms.

"Guys, this is Azazel, a puppy of Cerberus I received from my father. Azel, this is Jay son of Jafar, Evie daughter off the Evil Queen, Mal daughter of Maleficent, and Carlos son of Cruella DeVil."

His eyes instantly fell on JJ.

 _ **So he's-**_

My face erupted into a small blush when I interrupted him.

"Not right now Azel," I insisted. "Anyways, Azazel offered to take all of us to the Forbidden Fortress."

"He can do that?" Mal asked skeptical of my pet.

"Yes, he can do that."

"I'm all for it," JJ agreed after a few moments.

"I'm not going anywhere with him," Carlo stammered out in fear. I gave a sigh at his fear and made my way over to him.

"Carlo, he is not going to hurt you," I insisted earnestly. "Have I ever lied to you?"

"Well, no," he admitted.

"Then trust me."

He gave a sigh of his own but he did put out his hand out towards Azazel.

"This only applies to him though," Carlo added while Azazel slowly inched his way over so that he wouldn't scare him.

"Okay Carlo."

Ever so slowly Azazel came closer and closer until Carlo had his hand against Azazel's wet nose.

"See, it's not that bad," I smiled. "Mal, Eve, are you two riding on Azael? It will be easier."

"I'm willing to try it," Eve offered bravely.

"Sure, why not."

Azazel lay down to the ground so that we all could hop on. I made Carlo get on first, then Eve, then me, JJ, and finally Mal.

"Make sure to hold on tight guys," I called out once Azazel rose to his full height. I could see Carlo fist his hands in Azazel's long fur and his eyes clench shut while Eve wrapped her arms around Carlo's waist. I scooted up as far as I could while JJ had his own arms around my waist and Mal stubbornly forgoing putting her arms around JJ. She'll be paying for it later, I thought to myself.

"Alright Azel, to the skies."

Without further ado the smoke billowed under his paws before he bounded into the sky and raced against the wind. Much to Azel's credit, he made the ride as smooth as he could so that the others wouldn't be jostled that much.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0**

 **There we go lovelies, another chapter to Gray Areas. As always if you have any question, comments, or concerns with the story, feel free to leave a review. Remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	6. Chapter 5

**Gray Areas Ch. 5**

 **Well hello lovelies. I took a break yesterday so I'm taking the time for putting up more chapters today. There hasn't been any new reviews since my last update, so I'll just leave it with a quote today.**

 **"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.**

 **-Lewis Carroll**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Sometime later, Azel began to descend and landed on a different shore.

"You were right La," Eve pointed out. "We did need Azazel's help."

"Told you. Azel, do you think you can wait here for us?"

 _ **As you wish Mistress. Call if you need anymore assistance.**_

"I will. Thank you Azel."

After that goodbye we slid off Azel's back then headed deeper into the fog. On our way through, the fog thinned so that we could see our surroundings better. This made it all that much easier to see the gate that was covered by a forest of thorns. I bet those would sting like a bitch, I commented in my head while I took in the wicked sharp thorns. Through the gate was a craggy mountaintop that held a large black castle. So, that's the Forbidden Fortress. It's not so bad considering where I live. Everyone else stood paralyzed at the sight while Carlo's little black box kept beeping to tell us that we were getting close. Alright, let's do some housekeeping I thought when I saw the poisonous bugs that was lounging on the thorny forest.

"Stand back," I ordered. "I'll take care of the thorns. Though you may have to hack and spry behind me in case I don't get everything."

It was then that JJ dug out a silver dagger from the depths of his pockets to hand it to Mal while he handed Carlo bug spray, and kept a red handled machete for himself. Like I had requested, they stayed behind me so that I could take care of a majority of the problem. Blue fire jumped to my fingertips before I shot out the blaze at the opposing thorns. Just like I thought the three behind me had to hack up what I didn't burn to ashes. Behind me I could hear Carlo question JJ's choice of loot which had me smile. JJ was right, though I think that he took the 'always arrive prepared' from our talk last night. Pretty soon we cleared out of the thorn forest until we were on dirt path again. I could feel my energy start to deplete after the fire so I reached into my pouch and pull out a square of ambrosia. To keep on my toes, I needed to keep my strength up. As we were walking, I heard Carlo start laughing out of nowhere. This prompted a few giggles to escape from me. JJ on the other hand shoved him.

"Don't you think you're taking the whole mad scientist thing a little too literally?" he questioned the younger boy.

"I'm not crazy," Carlo insisted. All JJ did was hold up his hands in mock surrender with a smirk. Eve laughed under her breath at the sight and I couldn't contain my own chuckle. We haven't known each other for long and we were already acting like friends. We seemed to be in the clear with no obstacles in sight when the sky decided to rain.

"My hair," Eve complained as the droplets touched her beautiful blue waves.

"Βροχή! (Rain!)," I exclaimed happily at the fresh, clean scent of the water as it touched my eyelids and cheeks. I gave myself a few minutes to act like a child as I danced around under the rainfall while I sang a random tune. Out of the corner of my hearing range, I could hear Carlo's box beeping at regular intervals. We were close.

"The Dragon's Eye is definitely up there," Carlo said excitedly, a scientist's enthusiasm shining on his face. "If this thing is right, I'm picking up on some kind of massive surge in electrical energy. If there is a hole in the dome, it's leaking magic here somehow, different from the Isle of the Lost."

"Maybe the hole is right above this place," Eve suggested. While Carlo had his little box, I could feel the swirl of evil energy surrounding the castle up above.

"Yeah, I can feel it too." Mal nodded, still moving forward along the path. "Do you guys?"

She stopped and looked at them, shielding her eyes from the rain with one hand.

"I do," I confirmed after I ended my little dance. Carlo on the other hand simply looked at her in surprise.

"Feel what? This?" He held up his box, and it beeped in her face. Mal jumped back, startled, and JJ laughed. I wanted to laugh myself, and no doubt Eve too, but I kept it in due to making sure Mal didn't flip her lid.

"Whoops," Carlos said once he realised what he had done. "See what I mean? The energy is surging."

A little flush of pink showed on Mal's cheeks to show her embarrassment.

"I don't know for sure. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it almost feels like there's some kind of magnet pulling me up the path."

"That is so creepy," Eve remarked, stopping to wipe sweat off her forehead with the edge of her cape. "Like, it's your destiny, literally, calling."

"Well," Carlo began, "no, not really. If it were literally calling, it would be, you know, calling her."

JJ laughed.

Eve glared at him. "Okay, fine. Literally pulling like a magnet, only not really, because it's, you know, destiny. Are you happy now?"

"Literally?" Carlo raised an eyebrow.

JJ laughed again, which I could tell made Carlo brighten up. I am loving this bonding, even if it's happening while we're hunting for a very evil relic in a castle that might kill the others.

"Don't you guys feel it? Besides Nicola" Mal sounded nervous. Nobody said anything, and she sighed, turning back to the muddy path. I made to answer her when she lost her footing amongst the mud and gravel which propelled Eve to her rescue and JJ to theirs. Eve caught Mal before she could fall which caused them both to fall backwards into JJ. I was behind him making sure he wouldn't squish Carlo.

"Thanks Nicci," Carlo sighed in relief at the save while Eve and JJ assured the other two of the save Mal group that they had them.

"I am definitely in the wrong shoes for this," Eve said, wincing at the sight of her own feet.

"We need flippers, not shoes. The rain has turned this whole trail into a mud river. Maybe we should all hold hands," JJ suggested. "We'll work better if we're all together."

"Did you really just say that?" Mal shook her head, sounding disgusted. "Why don't we just sing songs to cheer each other up and then weave flowers out of the mud and move to Auradon, while we're at it?"

"Come on, Mal." Carlo tried not to smile. What is with this girl?

"Do you have a better idea?" Jay retorted, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck while hie cheeks darkened slightly. I could feel myself want to blush madly at the cute sight JJ presented, but I just managed to keep my cool. However, that did nothing for my inner squealing.

"If you wanted to hold my hand, you know, you could have just asked," teased Eve, as she offered her hand to JJ, waggling her fingers.

"Well, now," JJ winked. "You don't say."

. "Don't worry, Jay, you're cute—but thieves aren't my style," Eve laughed.

"I wasn't worried," JJ remarked smoothly, grasping her hand in his firm grip. "I just don't feel like taking a mud bath today."

"From a physics perspective, it does make sense. If you want to talk about Newton's second and third laws," Carlo added, trying to sound reassuring. "You know, momentum and force, and all that."

With that, Eve had one of JJ's hands while I held another and Carlo held my other hand. That only left Eve's hand open for Mal to grab.

"What he said," Jay nodded while Eve held out her hand to Mal.

Mal still didn't take Eve's hand.

"Come on, Mal. Just take it. Even Newton agrees," Jay tried again and this time Mal took Eve's hand after some hesitation.

Because of the slick ground, we all awkwardly inched our way up the path with the help of the others. I knew that my feet were cold so the others' must be freezing. I'll have to make sure they're warmed up before we continue on so that they don't get sick, I decided at once. Not long after my thought we emerged from the rain clouds to come across a narrow stone bridge that jutted out about what seemed like a bottomless pit. Let's hope not all of us falls. I can help two or three people if they fall, but I'm not sure about all.

"It's beautiful," Eve shivered. "In a really terrifying way."

"It's just a bridge," Carlo said, holding up his box. "But we definitely have to cross it. Look—"

The light was flashing so brightly and so quickly now that he covered the sensor with one hand.

"Duh," Jay said.

"It's not just a bridge," Mal argued, in a low voice, staring at the gray shape in front of her. "It's her bridge. Maleficent's bridge. And it's pulling me. I have to cross it. It wants me to get to the other side."

"It's not the bridge I'm worried about," Carlo worried, looking into the distance. "Look!"

"The Forbidden Fortress," I announced to the group.

"Sweet," Jay whistled. "That's one sick shack."

Eve studied it from behind him, still shivering. "And I thought our castle was drafty."

"I can't believe that we actually found it." Carlo stared from his box to the castle. "And I can't believe it was so close to the island all along."

Mal looked stunned at the sight before us, which I could understand. I would have felt the same way if I had only heard stories about my original home and now I was seeing it.

"I guess that explains the rain. The Forbidden Fortress hides itself in a shroud of fog and mist. It's like a moat, I guess."

Carlo examined the air around him. "Of course it is. A defensive mechanism, built into the atmosphere itself."

"I'm sure my mother designed it to keep everyone she didn't want out."

"Which meant, you know, everyone," JJ commented.

"Okay, before we go any further, I need to warm you guys up," I interrupted. "I can't have you guys getting sick on me."

Before they could protest I sent my heat out so that their clothes would dry and their skin to lose its chill.

"Thanks Nicci,"

Almost at the same time I could tell everyone else felt the magic that was wrapped around the fortress in a suffocating evil aura.

"Feel that?" Carlo asked, holding his vibrating hand up into the air.

"I can too," Eve piped up while picking up a rock from the mud. It rattled in her fingers as she held it. "Destiny," she announced dramatically.

JJ pointed at the lightning that crackled in air above the black turrets.

"Me too. I guess it's time."

Mal didn't say a word. She only stared.

"Hold on, now. We're not in any rush," Carlos said hastily. "We need to do this right, or—" He didn't finish the sentence. He just shrugged.

Then he caught Mal's gaze and knew she felt the same way he did.

"Look," JJ insisted, yanking back an armful of overgrown vines that covered the stony steps leading up to the main ramp of the bridge and tossing them to the side to reveal stony gargoyles.

"What are those horrible, ugly creatures?" Evie made a face. "No, thanks. I'll stay on this side of those things."

"They're gargoyles," I told her. "They are supposed to protect the dwelling they inhabit. Aren't they cute?"

"Lovely," JJ drawled causing me to roll my eyes. Everybody had to be a critic. It was then that I noticed Mal was frozen in fear.

"Mal," I called out to her which did nothing to snap her out of it. Is no one else going to step forward, I wondered while I eyed everyone else. No made the move so I took it upon myself to walk up to the first stone pave that led to the bridge. Almost immediately the gargoyles began to flap their wings at me. I raised an eyebrow at them while everyone tried to make sense of what was happening before us. Unfazed by the growling statues I continued to the main ramp of the bridge with the others not far behind me.

"This must be residue, left over from the magical years," Carlo rambled on. "Whatever did this was probably part of the same power that sparked Diablo to life."

"The same power?" Mal echoed. "You mean, my mother's?"

"Or the same electromagnetic wave." Carlo amended. "I'm not sure how to tell the difference anymore."

JJ swallowed as a gargoyle leaned down, looking as if it could spring at Carlo at any moment.

"Right now, I'm pretty sure the difference doesn't matter."

"Who goes there?" boomed one of the gargoyles to my right.

"You cannot pass," another piped up.

"Who says we cannot pass?" I challenged, my hands itching to summon my swords again.

"You ugly things need to move!" Mal, shouted from behind me while glaring at the gargoyles. "Or I'm going to make you!"

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **Well there we have it. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the story please leave a review or pm me. I am very anxious to hear your feedback on ho I am doing with the story so far. And remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	7. Chapter 6

**Gray Areas Ch. 6**

 **Well lovelies, this is the rest of what I have written so far, so it might take some time for me to come up with the next chapter. I had just posted up the last chapter, so still no new reviews for today. And with that, on with the quote.**

 **"One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood."**  
 **-Lucius Annaeus Seneca**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o**

"Mal," I hissed in warning. "Try threatening them when you have a weapon."

The gargoyles growled and grimaced, flapping their stone wings as a threat.

"Any ideas?" Carlo asked nervously. "How do we fight something made of stone?"

"There has to be a way," Mal insisted. "We have to pass! Let us through!"

"Yeah, I'm not sure that's working." Evie sighed in exasperation.

The gargoyles glared at us with glowing eyes, their fangs bared and their stony wings beating the wind.

"You cannot pass," they said again in unison—and just as the creatures spoke, the thick gray clouds surrounding the long stone ramp vanished, leaving a gap in the bridge in sight.

"Great," JJ groaned. "So it's over. Fine. Whatever. Can we go now?"

"No, wait," I spoke up when I saw something on the stone. I carefully wiped away some dirt and moss to reveal a sentence.

"'Ye who trespass the bridge must earn the right of way'," I read aloud.

"Great. So what are those, like, directions?" Mal huffed, looked at the others. "What does that mean? How do we earn the right of way?"

"I don't know, Mal," Eve sighed. " We don't seem to have earned anything."

"And technically, we are trespassers," JJ added.

"Thank you JJ," I groaned/grumbled. "Alright. This sounds like a riddle. Mal, this is your mother's castle so the gargoyles should answer to you. Just address them as your mother would."

That seemed to light her fire for she strode forward so that she was standing right next to me.

"This is my mother's castle, and you are her servants. You will do as I bid. ASK YOUR RIDDLE AND LET US PASS!" she ordered, looking at home in the atmosphere.

The mist swirled around us as ravens cawed and green light pulsed in the castle windows.

"Carlosssssssss," hissed all of the gargoyles in unison. "Approaaaach ussssssss."

Hearing his name seemed to floor Carlo for he took a step forward and questioned the choice. All we could do was shrug. It could have easily been any other one of us.

"Time for the pass code." Mal nodded in encouragement. "You got this, Carlos."

"Carlosssssss. First quesssssstion…"

I saw him take a breath to steel himself and ready his mind for the riddle.

"Ink spot in the snow

Or red, rough, and soft

Black and wet, warm and fast

Loved and lost-What am I?"

Carlo tried to let the words sink in, but the ground rumbling messed him up.

"Carlos!" Eve cried out as she tried to keep herself standing.

"What?" he growled, running his hand through his frosted hair.

"Answer the question!" Mal demanded.

A minute or two passed before a light of realization lit in his brown eyes.

"The puppies," he realised. "My mother's puppies, the Dalmatians. All one hundred and one of them. All loved and all lost, by her."

The part he mumbled under his breath was lost on me. Then there was silence.

"Do I need to say the names? Because I swear I can tell them to you, every last one of them . Perdita. Patch. Lucky. Roly Poly. Freckles. Pepper…"

That didn't seem to do anything because the fog came back around the bridge.

"Wait!" Mal shouted, pointing to the mist. "It's doing something."

True to her words, a piece of the bridge fitted itself into a missing part of the bridge. The gargoyles then cleared a path for us so that we could hurry to the newly formed edge. Carlo was eagerly waiting for the next question.

"NEXT RIDDLE!" Mal demanded, just as a ferocious wind blew at us.

"Carlossssssss. Next quessssssstion."

He nodded.

"Like a rose in a blizzard

It blooms like a cut

A red smear

Her kiss is death."

As if plummeting to his death wasn't enough of a threat to get it right, Carlo was faced with the gargoyles brandishing their claws and fangs as if they were ready to pounce.

"'Her kiss is death,'" echoed Carlo. "It has to be about my mother. Is that the answer? Cruella De Vil?"

That must have been the wrong answer that caused the bridge to shake even more violently.

"But it is about your mother!" Eve suddenly insisted. "A rose in a blizzard, it blooms like a cut…her kiss…it's about what color lipstick she wears! Cruella's signature red!"

"It is?" Carlo questioned.

"A red smear—see? It means it's something she puts on. Oh, I know what it is!" Evie remarked. "The answer is Cherries in the Snow! That has to be it; it's been everywhere this season. I mean—judging from what's been thrown away on the Dumpster barges."

"I can't believe you know that," Mal rolled her eyes.

The wind picked up again causing the five of us to hold hands against the harsh wind.

"Damn," Eve cursed. "It's not Cherries in the Snow? I could swear that was it. Red with a pinkish undertone. No, wait—wait—it didn't have a pink undertone, it was darker. Redder. A 'true red'—what did the magazines call it? Frost and Flame? No—Fire and Ice! That's it! Cruella's pout is made of Fire and Ice!"

Again another piece of the bridge made itself visible due to Eve's correct answer. Carlo instantly relaxed, JJ whooped with joy, and Mal clapped Eve on her back on a job well done.

"Way to go Eve," I congratulated her as we advanced to the new edge.

"Ask your last riddle!" Mal shouted at the gargoyles.

"Carlosssssss. Last quesssssstion."

""Dark is her heart

Black like the sky above

Tell us, young travelers—

What is her one true love?"

Instead of idly threatening us from afar, the gargoyles now surrounded us. If Carlo were to get the answer wrong this time, the gargoyles were sure to attack us. A Greek curse flew from my lips as I summoned my swords and held them at the ready. It was a good thing brought my nectar and ambrosia with me.

"'Dark is her heart'—they must mean Maleficent, right?" Carlo questioned as he turned to Mal. "But it could mean any of our mothers."

I decided not to take offense from that. He probably forgot that my mother is not by definition a villain.

"My mother has no true love. My mother loves nothing and nobody! Not even me!" Mal admitted with a slight pang that Carlos knew all too well.

"Don't look at me. I don't even have a mother," Jay interjected.

"Beauty!" Evie called out. "That's mine. I know…it's a little cliché."

"It has to be about your mother Carlo," I insisted. "Why would they call you to answer the riddle if it was somebody else's mother?"

His eyes seemed to flick back and forth in his thinking before his eyes widened when he found the answer out. Though, but the look on his face, he wishes he didn't. His eyes seemed to mist over at the thought and I could almost hear his thoughts of how he didn't want to say it.

"Carlos," I said firmly to urge him on.

"Her furs!" Carlos yelled out. "Fur is her one true love! All my mother cares about is her stupid fur coat closet and everything in it. But you guys already know that."

In almost the blink of an eye, we were all whisked to the other side of the bridge without any of the gargoyles surrounding us. Thank the gods, I sighed in my head as I put my swords away.

"Great job Carlo," I told him softly, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. "I'm proud of you."

"Nice work," Mal breathed. "Okay, now—where to?"

Carlo reveled in my embrace for a few moments before he tapped my arms to let him go and glanced down at his box.

"This way."

We ventured through the large, heavy oaken doors of the fortress only to be put into pitch darkness that matched the outside.

"I've got it," I said to the group while I let the blue of my hair ignite in a bright flame.

"I am so glad I brought you along," Mal sighed as she basked in the warmth I gave off. What am I, a pet? As we walked further into the castle, we could see that the fog floated just above the black marble floor.

"That has to be magic," Mal insisted. "The fog doesn't just do that."

"The refracted energy seems stronger here," Carlos agreed. "I think we're closer to the source than we've ever been."

When he spoke, an icy wind blew past us, making a whistling sound as it passed through the shattered stained-glass windows high above us. Every step we took echoed around us.

"What's that?" JJ asked while pointing to the green lights that flashed through the half shattered glass.

""It's what we've been tracking all along," Carlos answered. "That same electromagnetic energy: it's going crazy. This fortress was definitely exposed to something that's left a kind of residue charge—"

"You mean, an enchantment?"

Carlo shrugged.

"That, too."

"And so, even after all these years, this place is somehow still glowing with its own light?" Eve gasped in amazement.

"Cool," Jay commented.

"In other words, we're getting closer to the Dragon's Eye," Mal summarized.

"Yep," JJ confirmed.

These corridors seemed to go on forever until we found ourselves passing through hallways that housed large paintings covered with cobwebs and dust.

"It's a portrait gallery," Eve realised first. "Every castle has one."

"Are these pictures of you?" JJ asked Mal after looking at some of the pictures.

"No, they're all of my mom."

"Whoa, you really do look like her, you know," Jay breathed out.

"You two could be twins," Evie piped in.

"That, my friends, is called genetics," Carlos said with a smile.

"Gee, thanks—I look like my mother? Just what every girl wants to hear," Mal replied. "Now what?"

As if to answer her, a foul draft blew towards us from four different corridors. JJ went forward to dish out a quick "eenie-meanie-miney-mo" to pick a corridor.

"Very scientific," Carlo remarked dryly.

"You got your way, I got mine, "Jay retorted before gesturing towards the corridor he chose. "That one."

"Are you sure about this?" Mal asked.

"Duh, of course not. That's why I played eenie-meanie-miney-mo! One corridor is as good as the next," JJ told her happily as he went on to the path without waiting for the rest of us.

"C'mon guys," I sighed. "JJ, wait up! You'll freeze without my body heat!"

"No, wait," Mal interrupted JJ. "You don't know where you're going. Carlos, check your box-compass-thing."

"Okay, I guess maybe Jay's right," Carlo said after checking.

"Of course I am."

"Please don't feed his ego Carlo," I groaned. "It's big enough as it is."

"You're just jealous Nix."

"Oh? What am I to be jealous of?"

"My pickpocketing skills."

"I'm not sure that's something to be proud of JJ."

* * *

Because Carlo had the tracking device, I let him go a few steps in front of me so that he could lead us yet he wouldn't freeze his nose off. The way that JJ chose for us led us to a stairway that led us deeper into the fortress. The further we went down, the more the silence morphed into a rattling sound that sounded like bones hitting rocks.

"This reminds me of home," I sighed out loud, much to the alarmed faces around me.

"Really? This reminds you of home?" Mal questioned.

"You're forgetting I'm the daughter of Hades, god of the Underworld which has dead people."

"Because that's comforting." Eve remarked awkwardly.

"The dungeon," Mal told us. "Or you might know it as the place where my mother encountered the lovestruck Prince Phillip."

Eve's eyes went wide with awe. "Maleficent was going to lock him down here for a hundred years, right? That would have been fun."

"She nearly pulled it off, didn't she?" Carlo asked.

"If not for that trio of self-righteous, busybody, blasted good fairies." Mal grumbled. "End of scene. Enter Isle of the Lost."

"I don't know about you," JJ began. "But I feel like we've been down here a hundred years already. Let's get on with it.".

A few more feet in front of us JJ found a dungeon door and opened it so that Carlo could stick the tracker in the doorway to see if that's where we needed to go. A stronger beep was all Carlo need to confirm our path.

"This is the one."

Carefully the five of us filed down the stairs, mindful of our steps because there was no rail for us to hold on to.

"Suddenly the whole mud river thing doesn't seem so bad," Eve commented uneasily.

"Seriously?" JJ questioned.

Moss also seemed to grow thicker the deeper we ventured into the dungeon that was soon joined by gauzy cobwebs. The cobwebs were easily pushed to the side until we came upon a rotten wooden door.

"Here?" Mal asked touching the door which made it collapse against the floor.

"Maybe we shouldn't touch anything," Carlo said, scrutinizing the device in his hands.

Mal rolled her eyes. "Too late."

"I think this is it," Carlos said.

With Jay's help I pushed aside the remains of the door so that everyone else come through. JJ made to say something but with one look from me had him closing his mouth without saying anything. Thanks to my hair we had some light around us, but I couldn't exactly light up to full brilliance without burning my friends up with how much heat I would give off. So I was not surprised when JJ accidentally set something off when his hand struck something. Or maybe not accidentally. It's hard to tell with him. The sounds of metal and stone colliding and grinding filled the space around us before a bright golden glimmer almost blinded us. What the- My train of thought was violently broken when the room began to fill with sand. Shit! I quickly doused my flaming hair so that I wouldn't encase myself in glass. Eve screamed while Mal began to thrash, Carlo almost lost his box and JJ stood perfectly still. Why was he standing still. My answer came in the form of many jewels and gold coins on the dunes. You have got to be kidding me! Eve sat up after the sand that had fallen on her had stopped with a new crown upon her head.

"What is this? Where are we?" she asked.

"I can assure you this is not part of my mother's castle," said Mal wryly, as she spat out some sand and blew her purple bangs out of her eyes. She stood up, brushing sand off her leather jacket. "More residue from the hole in the dome?"

"It has to be," Carlo offered. "There's no other explanation."

"Wait a minute, where's the scepter?" Mal asked Carlos nervously, looking around. "It has to be here, right? Has anyone seen it?"

"I don't know," Carlo said. "The box isn't beeping anymore. It's like it lost the signal, or something."

"Well, find it again!" Mal barked.

"I will, I will.…Give me a second, here. You have no idea what sand can do to a motherboard.…"

While Carlo was working on his box, JJ was stuffing his pockets with everything he could grab. I let out a deep sigh at his action, but I didn't blame him for it. He was taught to act like that since he was born. It's not something one could break just like that.

"The Cave of Wonders!" JJ cried, pausing his work to voice his thoughts.

"Come again?" asked Mal.

"This is the place—where my father found the lamp."

"I thought Aladdin found the lamp," Carlos interjected.

"Yes, but who sent him there?" asked Jay with a superior smile. "If it wasn't for Jafar, Aladdin would have never found it. Hence it was my father's lamp all nobody ever mentions that part, do they? And my dad said he thought there might be other things hidden in the mist—he must have suspected this might be here too."

"Fine. Cave of Wonders. More like Basement of Sand," Mal sassed. "More important, how do we get out of here?"

"You don't," answered a deep voice.

"Excuse me?" Mal challenged.

"I didn't say anything," JJ denied, who was now wearing numerous gold chains around his neck and stacking diamond bracelets up his arm.

"Who was that?" asked Eve warrily.

We all looked around. Nobody else seemed to be there.

"Fine. It's nothing," Mal dismissed. "Now, let's find that door."

"You won't," the booming voice spoke up again. "And you will be trapped here forever if you don't answer me correctly!"

"Great," Jay groaned.

"Is this another riddle? This whole fortress is, like, booby-trapped or something," Eve grumbled.

"Multiple defenses—I told you," Carlos said. "Burglar alarm. Probably for the Dragon's Eye, don't you think?"

"Cave? Should I call you Cave?" asked Mal.

"Mouth of Wonders will do," the voice told her.

"That's a terrible name," Eve commented

"Okay, Mouth," Mal said. "What's the question?"

"It is but a simple one."

"Hit us."

The booming voice, which I presumed to be the cave, chuckled only to ask.

"What is the golden rule?"

"The golden rule?" Mal echoed, scratching her head. She looked at her team. "Is that some kind of jewelry thing? Jay?"

JJ was too busy grabbing as much gold as he could get and didn't seem to hear the question.

"JJ," I tried this time.

Again he couldn't hear anything going on around him. Great. Everyone else tried their guesses only to get the room to fill up with more sand.

"Come on—this way!" Mal urged us, trying to climb the stacks of gold coins—thinking she could avoid the sand by getting closer to the ceiling—but they collapsed beneath her each time she attempted to scale them, and she only ended up buried in more treasure. She tried again, and this time Eve gave her a push from behind, so that she was able to grab on to the tall statue of a sphinx. She mounted the creature's back and reached to pull Eve up beside her, but the sand was still rising, already engulfing her leg, threatening to keep her down.

"I can't make it!" Eve shouted.

"You have to!" Mal yelled back.

Eve could not reply for she had disappeared under the sand.

"Eve!" I cried in alarm before I dove under to pull her back to the surface. Once I had pulled her up I levitated her up to Mal then turned to help Carlo.

"C'mon Carlo."

"I can't. My leg is caught."

Colorful curses flew from my lips but I tried my best to get Carlo out without ripping his arm out of his socket due to my strength. He was definitely stuck. I knew I wasn't going to be much help to him so I turned my attention to JJ who I knew knew the answer.

"JJ! Hurry up and answer the question! You're the only one who knows it!" I shouted over to him.

"WHOEVER HAS THE MOST GOLD MAKES THE RULES! THAT'S THE GOLDEN RULE!" Jay cried triumphantly, raising a fist in the air. The Cave of Wonders let out a booming chuckle before all of the sand and the treasure melted down the drains. All but JJ let out a sigh of relief at the change in events.

"Fool's gold," Jay sighed sadly, looking at his empty pockets. "All of it."

"It'll be alright JJ," I tried to soothe him with a hand on one of his broad shoulders. JJ was about to say something, but was interrupted by Carlo's black box when it began beeping again. We all took that as our cue to continue on so JJ rose to his feet and followed us out of the room.

* * *

To help the others out, I let my hair flare up again which I could tell everyone appreciated. On our way through the ruined castle, bats screeched as they flew overhead and the floor beneath us shifted and slided to hold our weight.

"What is it with this place?" Eve questioned. "Is there a fault line that runs under this island?"

"Well," Carlos began.

"Joke. That was a joke," Eve sighed.

I found it admirable that Eve was trying to make light of our situation, but I could tell that everyone was not is a joking mood.

"This way," Carlo said, motioning to a narrow passage in front of him. We all followed behind him to which the box began beeping louder. "Now this way."

It seemed that the farther we went, the narrower the hallway became.

"And now-,"

"What's going on?" Eve asked, cutting him off. "Because I know my sizing, and I didn't just double in diameter in the last two and a half minutes."

"Is it just my imagination," Mal spoke up. "Or are we wedged inside a mountain like—"

"A piece of string dangling down a pipe? Toothpaste squeezed inside a straw? A hangnail in this cuticle right here?" JJ offered, holding out his hand. "Dang, this one really hurts."

"Are you describing the things you've stolen today? Because those are all terrible analogies," Eve said bluntly, looking at JJ. "And I'm saying that as someone who was castle-schooled by a woman who thinks the three R's are Rouging, Reddening, and Reapplying."

"Maybe we should go back," Carlos offered, giving voice to Eve's fear. "Except—I think I might be stuck."

As soon as Carlo said that, the whole castle shook causing a chip of stone to fall to the floor. It narrowly missed Eve's nose.

"Maybe it's some kind of trap!" she cried out. " Let's go—it doesn't look safe!"

"No," Carlos said. "Look! There's another passage."

"I'll get us there," I offered while I held out my hands. "Just make sure to hold on and keep your eyes shut."

We easily appeared at the entryway of the passage and then I dropped hands in favor of pulling out my flask of nectar to take a swig. Please let this trip end soon. At first we turned right then we turned left until we came to walls that were farther apart but were oddly sloped. The rumbling underneath didn't show any signs of stopping either.

"Something doesn't like us," JJ commented.

"We're not supposed to be in this place," echoed Eve.

"We need to hurry," Carlo insisted, trying to sound calm.

Another stone fell from the ceiling broke from the ceiling and this time it almost hit Eve's head.

"What is this place?" she shivered at the near miss after she had jumped.

"We're in some kind of maze," Mal told her, thinking aloud. "That's why the corridors keep turning, why passages keep splitting off and narrowing. It's some kind of twisted maze, and we're lost in it."

"No, we're not. We've still got the box," Carlo argued trying to be cheerful. "It's the only thing that is keeping us from getting lost in here."

That was enough for me. After a few minutes of walking through this so called maze, Carlo realized something.

"It's not random," Carlo said, suddenly. "It's in a rhythm."

"You're right," JJ agreed. "Look. The rumbling seems to go along with your beeping box. When the box lights up, the walls start to move."

"The waves must be causing the castle to jostle about," I mused. "I hope we find the scepter before the jostling turns into the whole castle tumbling down around us."

"That is really comforting Nix," JJ remarked dryly to which I only shrugged at.

By this time, everyone but Carlo had to crouch down to avoid hitting our heads on the ceiling.

"It's a room made for mice," Mal grumbled.

"Or dwarfs?" Eve offered..

"Or children?" JJ guessed.

"No," Carlo gulped, pointing to something in the dark distance where glowing green eyes stared back at us. "Goblins. This is where the goblins live. That's why the ceilings are so low and the corridors are so strange. This isn't a place for humans."

Laughter from the goblins then filled the pace as their claws tapped and they ground their teeth. Oh come on!

"Super," Mal said.

"Yeah, good work," JJ snorted.

Eve just glared at Carlo. I on the other hand summoned my swords again. It was never a bad thing to be prepared for attack with hostile beings.

"What do we do?" JJ asked, cowering behind Carlo, who had flattened himself against the wall of the corridor.

"You guys run," I told them. "I'll take care of the goblins."

"I'm not gonna leave you here," Carlo argued at once.

"Carlo," I groaned in exasperation. "I can take care of myself."

As if to emphasize my point, I sliced easily through some goblins who launched themselves at me. Some weren't all the way dead so I quickly stabbed them through the heart. All they could do was stare at me in awe.

"Get going!" I shouted angrily. Mal was the first to snap out of it and pull at the others to follow her. Luckily they all turned and ran so that I could deal with the goblin horde by myself. Oh thank the gods! Now I don't have to worry about them. When I was sure they were out of the corridor, I threw myself into taking down the opposing goblins until the few that were left cowered beneath me.

"You are not to attack any of the other humans that are with me," I commanded them. "Unless you want to meet your end at my blade. Am I perfectly clear?"

They bit out a "Yes, Ma'am" before they hightailed it away from me and where the others had fled. I rolled my eyes as I made my swords disappear then jogged over to where I could hear Carlo's tracking device from.

"You can come out now," I told them from the other side of the door they hid behind. "The ones I didn't kill have run away and the remaining ones won't harm you."

"I can't believe you killed them," Mal commented with wide eyes as they trickled out of the room.

"Yeah," Carlo agreed.

"It was kind of scary," Eve added.

"I don't kill unless there is need to," I informed them. "Those goblins were looking to kill you. I couldn't just let them have at it."

"Thank you Nix," JJ sighed happily despite the others' fear at what I did. "You saved my life three times now. If it keeps going on like this, I'm gonna wrack up a debt."

I felt my eyes soften at JJ's humor. I could always count on him to make things better, I though as my heart warmed at his warm heart.

"Then I guess you'll just have to pay me back," I teased right back at him.

"C'mon love birds," Mal interrupted us. "We have a Dragon's Eye to find."

My cheeks flushed slightly in a blush and I ducked my head a bit so that it wouldn't be visible. Carlo said nothing while he led us down a narrow hallway which had me thanking him silently in my head. If someone was to talk more about the subject, I'm sure my blush would have been more noticeable. Not to mention JJ would be aware of my feelings for him. We encountered empty chambers until Eve seemed to find something.

"Over here!" she exclaimed, walking towards a light shining from a hidden hallway. She was the first one to the object only to call out "Monster!" to what she saw. She saw and rode a hellhound earlier. What is she calling a monster? Mal looked over Eve's shoulder only to scream herself. Carlo and JJ were next except they didn't react to their reflections. When I got there, I saw and old hag garbed in a black cape.

"What happened to me?" Eve cried in shock, her voice now rough and quivery. I turned to her to see that she actually looked like the old beggar woman out of the mirror too. She wasn't the only one. Mal had a warty nose and was bald except for a few strands of white hair.

"Charming," she drawled. " It's got to be some kind of spell."

"I don't know, I don't think I look THAT bad," JJ grinned at his reflection. He was chubby and pasty, bearded and gray. He too was wearing a black cloak. "I look like I got my hands on a whole lot of cake in my life, at least."

"Speak for yourself," Carlo grumbled,who had a knotted neck, high cheekbones, and a bug-eyed glare. "I think I'd rather face the goblins than this."

"I don't see a difference," I remarked, looking at my godly from with a silver glow about my body.

"That's not fair," Eve whined.

"Maybe my godly aura is too much for the magic," I offered to appease her.

"Fairest," the mirror spoke.

"Not the voice!" Eve shouted, making everyone else confused. Did she know this magic mirror? The mirror then changed so that we could see human-esque features had appeared as a ghostly presence in the reflective glass.

"Fairest you are, and fairest you will be again,

If you prove you are wise

and declare all the ingredients needed

for a peddler's disguise," the magic mirror said.

"It's a word problem!" Carlo cheered gleefully.

"No, it's not. It's a spell," JJ argued, looking at him like he was crazy.

"I knew it!" Mal gloated.

"What's a peddler's disguise?" asked JJ.

"Obviously—it's this. It's what's happened to us," Mal told him. "Evie, do you know what goes into making a peddler's disguise? It sounds like if we can name all the ingredients, we can reverse the spell."

"Hey Eve, doesn't your mother have that spell in her book of spells," I recalled, thinking back to when she told me about it when we had grabbed her backpack.

"Let me think," Eve said, obviously depressed over her appearance.

"Eve, look at me," I ordered sternly while I placed my hands on her shoulders. Scared brown eyes looked into my mercury ones. "Now listen to the sound of my voice."

She nodded slowly to show she was.

"You can do this Eve. We both know that you're beautiful, inside and out. What is a disguise going to do to change that?"

"Nicola is right," Mal chimed in. "We all know you can do it, fairest loser."

She took in a deep breath to gather her nerves before she looked her old self right in the eye.

"'Mummy dust, to make me look old!'"

All of their wrinkles disappeared to which Carlo cheered at.

"'To shroud my clothes, black of night!'"

Their own clothes were then returned to them.

"'To age my voice, an old hag's cackle!'"

Now everyone had their original, young voices back.

"'To whiten my hair, a scream of fright!'"

Color seeped back into their hair.

"'A blast of wind to fan my hate, a thunderbolt to mix it well, now reverse this magic spell!'"

Once Eve was done with her spell, all four cheered and I couldn't help but join in with them.

"Told you Eve," I smiled at her newly gained confidence.

"I did, didn't I?" she grinned back.

"Yes, you did."

When we were finished celebrating, Carlo led us past the mirrored hallway and through a corridor hung with purple and gold pennants and great tapestries, depicting all the surrounding kingdoms. There was no time to stop and take a closer look at the tapestries so we soldiered on.

* * *

The corridors that we encountered were bent and twisted with the floor sometimes uneven in a gray and black color scheme and a greenish glow that seeped through the stone. Besides my flaming hair, the cracked stained glass windows was the only source of color with some of its pieces littering the floor. We were all careful when walking on the glass so that none of us would slip and fall on it. The window lined corridor then gave way to an even larger and taller corridor that looked to be leading us to the heart of the castle itself. When we came to a stop outside a pair of doors that were twice the height of a grown man, Mal made a comment about the room.

"This is it. It's here."

We all nodded to each other and we all made sure to reach out to Mal and give her a little encouragement. Mal took a breath.

"This was Maleficent's throne room. I'm sure of it now. I can feel it." She looked up at us. "Does that sound crazy?"

We could only shake our heads no. That was all the encouragement she needed to push open the doors and take it all in.

"Oh," said Eve involuntarily.

Carlo looked like he wanted to bolt, but he didn't.

JJ's eyes flickered across the room as if he were casing the room. Instead of venturing further into the room first, we saved the honor for Mal. She was the one who deserved it. In the middle of the room, there was an empty place where I assumed Maleficent's throne used to be. It had sat upon a great dais, flanked by two curving sets of stairs while the room was round and ringed with columns. A great arc cradled the place where the throne had once sat, guarding an empty spot. The tattered remains of purple tapestries grew mold on the walls.

"There's nothing left," Mal said softly, kneeling on the one dark spot that no longer held a throne. "It's all gone."

"You all right?" JJ inquired, nervously rubbing his hands together. I think all Mal could do was nod.

"It's…"

"Yeah. I know. It's all real, isn't it?"

"I guess so," Mal commented lowly. "Every last page of every last story."

This had my eyebrows furrowing. If what I knew about the Sleeping Beauty story was true, then someone else had to touch the Dragon's Eye to be affected by the curse so that Mal could grab it. I had a feeling Mal would target Eve, but I was not letting that happen. Not on my watch.

"So, where is it?" Carlo asked, looking around the cold stone room.

"It has to be here somewhere," Eve mused, turning to look behind her.

"Maybe we should split up," JJ suggested with a glint in his eye. This worried me greatly. What exactly was JJ planning.

"Think," Mal said. "My mother was never without it. She held it even as she sat upon her throne." Mal moved back to the spot where the throne no longer stood. "Here."

"So where would it be now?" Carlo frowned.

"It wouldn't be where anyone else could touch it," Eve pointed out. "Try asking my mother if she'll let you touch any of her own Miss Fairest Everything memorabilia."

I noted the way Mal flinched at the word touch. Yeah, I'm now 99.9% sure that Mal was going to try to trick Eve into touching the staff.

"But she'd want to see it, of course," JJ added. "From her throne."

"Which would be—" Mal drew out as she spun slowly around.

"There. Look!" Eve shouted, spotting a tall black staff with a dim green globe at its top against the far wall first. "It's right here!"

I could see her reach for it eagerly as the staff began to glow. My heart hammered away in my chest as my legs propelled me towards Eve without me thinking about it. All I could think about was saving her from suffering through the thousand year slumber. My hand was now closer to the Dragon's Eye than Eve's which meant that I would be afflicted. This wouldn't phase me much seeing as though I was a goddess, but that would mean I would lose all of my friends.

"No!" Mal protested. "Don't!"

"What?" Eve questioned before a new voice interrupted her.

"WHOEVER AWAKENS THE DRAGON WILL BE CURSED TO SLEEP FOR A THOUSAND YEARS!"

This seemed to propel Mal more because she picked up her speed and knocked me out of the way so that she would catch the staff.

"Mal! No!" I cried in distress just as she caught it. A bright flash of green magic burst from the staff that blew throughout the room, causing my flaming hair to flicker, but not to go out. When the bright flash died, I could see Mal sprawled out on the floor unconscious.

"Mal!"

I was the first one to her side so that I could place her head in my lap. Maybe my healing magic could help her come back to us. To try it out, I let my hands glow then placed them on either side of Mal's temples.

"Nicci," Carlo voiced in shock of what I was doing.

"I'm fine Carlo," I assured him.

He didn't look so convinced but he let it go. Within minutes Mal bolted up and I gratefully pulled my hands away and stopped the glowing. Oh my gods did that take a lot of energy.

"Thank you Nicola," Mal told me in a honest voice.

"No problem," I smiled weakly at her.

"You're awake!" Eve cheered happily. "But you're supposed to be asleep for a thousand years!.How?"

The only way Mal could show us was hold up her arm to show us a tattoo on her arm with two twin dragons in the form of a heart.

"It couldn't hurt me," Mal explained. "My true name is Maleficent. Like my mother, I am part dragon, and so I am immune to the Dragon's curse."

"Lucky you," JJ said, eyeing Mal's tattoo. So, wait. Let me see if I got this straight. My magic did nothing to help her? It was all Mal? Fuck. I feel useless.

Mal smiled proudly down at the marking she bore.

"But wait—where is it?" Mal panicked, looking around accusingly at the quartet. "I had it right in my hand!"

"Good question," JJ commented, sounding a little wounded himself.

"It's gone," Carlo admitted. "When you grabbed it, there was a flash of light that blinded us for a second, and when we could see again, it was gone." He shrugged. "Easy come, easy go."

The other three glared at him while I completely agreed with him.

"Easy?" Eve raised an eyebrow, looking as tough as she possibly could.

Mal narrowed her eyes. "Jay, come on, hand it over."

"I swear, I don't have it!" JJ protested, emptying his pockets to show her. "I planned to take it. I wanted to take it. I was even going to take it out of your own hand, while you were sacked out."

"And?"

"Just didn't get around to it, I guess," JJ shrugged.

"None of us have it," Eve told her. She folded her arms, looking annoyed. "And by the way, you knew the curse was on that staff and you had all of us come with you anyway? What was up with that?"

"Yeah. I didn't really work out the plan very well."

"So why didn't you let me touch it, then? Wasn't that your evil scheme all along?"

"What are you talking about? I just didn't want you to. It wasn't yours to touch."

"Be honest. You were going to curse me, weren't you? You were going to let me touch that thing and end up taking the thousand-year nap?" Eve accused.

I could tell the boys were uncomfortable at the confrontation between Mal and Eve.

"I guess that was the plan." Mal admitted.

"Is this still about the—you know?" Eve looked at her. "Come on."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't," JJ muttered. Even Carlos laughed which prompted Mal to glare at both of them. I was smart enough to keep my own laughter to myself.

"The party. My party. Back when we were little kids."

"Who can remember that far back?" Mal denied, sticking out her chin stubbornly.

Eve looked tired.

"I begged my mother to invite you, you know. But she refused; she was still too angry at your mother. They've competed for everything for as long as they've known each other."

Mal nodded again.

"I know. Because of that stupid election about who would lead this island, right?"

Eve shrugged.

"You know what they say. Magic Mirror on the wall, who's the biggest ego of them all?"

Mal smiled in spite of the entirely awkward nature of the conversation.

Eve looked her straight in the eye.

"Look, my mom messed up. But the party wasn't that great, really. You didn't miss much."

"It wasn't a howler?"

"Not anything like Carlos's at all." Eve smiled.

"That's right. I'm legendary," Carlos boasted, puffing out his chest. An amused smile graced my lips at the sight. I swear sometimes he is so cute.

Mal glared at him.

"As if I didn't have to almost beat you into having that party?"

She looked back at Eve.

"Look, I didn't mean to trap you in Cruella's horrible closet." Mal glanced at Carlo and added, "The one she loves more than her own son."

"Ha-ha," Carlo rolled his eye,almost laughing. JJ was having a hard time keeping a straight face too even though he did put up one hell of a fight.

Eve giggled as well.

"Yes, you did."

"Okay, I did," Mal smiled.

"It's all right," Eve smiled back. "I didn't get caught in any of the traps."

"Cool," said Mal, even as she was embarrassed by her softness.

Carlo sighed.

JJ punched him in the gut with a grin.

"Come on. At least your mom doesn't only wear sweat suits and pajamas."

"Let's not talk about it," said Eve and Mal, almost in unison.

"Yeah. Enough with the violins. We got a long walk home," JJ interrupted. "And I'm not all that sure that this place has a back door."

"Azazel can take care of that," I assured him. "But it does feel weird in here now that all of the magic has left."

They all made sounds of agreement.

"Hands?"

They all took each others hands and closed their eyes in preparation for shadow traveling back out to the entrance of the castle. Once we got there I called for Azazel by giving a cry that could rival the harpies.

"You are seriously creepy N," Mal commented. "And that's coming from Maleficent's daughter."

"Thanks Mallie."

In a burst of smoke and blue fire Azazel appeared and lowered himself so that we could climb aboard.

"To the village Azel."

On our way back, I voiced a hope I had.

"Do you all want to meet up back at my house?"

I was met with agreement from everyone.

"Great," I grinned. "I'll meet you all there."

It was so good to have friends, and I had a feeling they were going to be my best friends until we-they die. Sigh, I guess I'll have to get used to that like I did with Ben. I would live forever while they only had a few short years.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **Okay, I have to admit that I ended that on a more somber note than the happy I was going for. But...now I'm giving a more in depth look at Nicola's personality going into the next chapter. Tell me what you think and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please leave me a review or shoot me a pm. And remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	8. Chapter 7: Recuperation

**Gray Areas Ch. 7**

 **Recuperation**

 **Well hello again lovelies! I'm back with a new update for Gray Areas. Sorry it took so long for me to update. I have so many other stories I'm working on as well as school stuff. Exams are not fun what so ever. -.- But anyways, let's get on with the magic!**

 **Porcalein:** **Hello lovely! It's good to hear from you and being the first one to review for this story. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you in future chapters**

 **1: Well hello lovely! I thank you so much for the review. I hope to hear more from you in future updates!**

 **fallondyson:** **Hello lovely! I am happy to hear from you! I hope to hear more from you in future chapters.**

 **cookiepandaluv: Hello lovely! I thank you so much for the review. I can't tell you how much I appreciated your review when I received it. I love detailed reviews the most. It tells me exactly what the person likes about my work, and if the situation calls for it, criticism so that I can better my work. As for the relationship between Jay and Nicola, we will get there. We still have the movie to go through.**

 **AnimeBunnyLover: Hello lovely! I thank you so much for your review and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.**

 **Applejax XD: Hello lovely! Thank you so much for your review! I look forward to your next one.**

 **Alright, now that the magic is taken care of, let's get on with the quote.**

 **"It is great wisdom to know when to take care of yourself, and to know when to step back and let yourself be taken care of by others"**

 **-Anonymus**

 **Ok, there is one more message I want to tell everyone, well, maybe two. The first one is that this fic is rated M for a reason. There are going to be some mature scenes and words written here. If you do not like rated M stories, please do not read. I have warned you of what will be put in the following, well I can't say pages, so screen. The second thing is that I unfortunately do not own _Isle of the Lost/Descendants_ the right goes to our lovely Melissa De la Cruz. Without her we couldn't have seen the lovely Booboo Stewart as Jay the heartbreaker. **

**So, without further ado, let's get on with the story!**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

When we landed on the outskirts of the village, I let everyone off of Azazel.

"Thanks Azel. I appreciate your help."

 _ **You know I would do anything for you Mistress.**_

I smiled at his loyalty as he bounded off in the opposite direction only to fade into smoke and shadow.

"You have a seriously cool pet," JJ commented while all of us watched Azazel took off.

"Thanks JJ."

I then looked around at my new friends to see that they all were reluctant to leave.

"When you guys are finished checking in with your parents, feel free to head back after."

The other three gave a nod before they ventured off while Carlos stayed.

"You too Carlo. At least pop your head in Hell Hall. I'll be at home when you're done."

My sentence seemed so natural that I didn't notice anything wrong until I saw Carlo's face. A look of surprise stared back at me that had me rethinking what I had said. I had called my home his. I felt a flush of embarrassment well up at his face.

"I mean I'll be-," my words were cut off by Carlo throwing his arms around my waist. My own eyes widened with shock at the act.

"Carlo?"

"I know you'll be at home waiting for me Big Sis," he mumbled into my stomach while his arms tightened around me. My eyes widened further at his words before they trembled along with my lips.

"Carlo-,"

"I know Nicci, this is kind of embarrassing," Carlo chuckled against me. "But I want to say this."

I took a deep breath to steel myself before I let Carlo know I was listening.

"I've always wanted a sister and I'm glad that I have you as one."

A small bubble of a sob left me as I clutched him to me in a bear hug.

"I love you too Little Brother."

We hugged each other for a few more moments until I pulled back to look at his face.

"Now, go so that you can hurry back home," I told him with a small smile. He gave me a wide smile before he left me. A contented sigh left me as I watched him walk away. I should have Mommy and Daddy come visit, I thought while I shadow traveled myself to my front yard. I then went to take a step only for my knees to buckle. Gods damn it, I cursed as my body soon followed my knees example and fell to the ground. This is what I get for pushing myself on the Isle. Unconsciousness was quick to try to claim me, but I fought it off fiercely. I just needed to focus enough to grab some nectar or some ambrosia. A huff left me as I tried to will myself to roll onto my back.

To my displeasure, I spent I don't know how long at least trying to move my body if even slightly to no avail. Well, at least I was able to keep myself conscious. Yay me.

"Nix/Nicci/La/N!" I heard four different voices shout from the entryway of the front yard. Oh thank the gods, I groaned in my mind at their arrival now I can get in the house. In my relief, I could feel my eyes drift shut. Gahhh, I hissed internally at my failing body. Before I knew it, strong, warm arms wrapped underneath my bare back and knees so that I was cradled against a sturdy chest. Oh gods. Please don't tell me that I'm in JJ's arms right now. If my body had had any strength, I'm definitely sure that I would have blushed.

"What happened?!" Carlo freaked out from JJ's side as he ventured inside the house. "I was the last one to see her and she was fine when I left her."

"She must have collapsed after she shadow traveled herself here," Mallie supplied from JJ's other side. Thank you Mallie, thank you. "We should get her inside," Mallie suggested, looking over her new friend worriedly. Everyone was in agreement as JJ carried me into the house. I am never going to let myself, I groaned in my mind. I could tell JJ was trying his hardest not to jostle me too much while he ventured into the house.

"Does anyone know where her room is?" JJ asked after everyone had reached the second floor.

"I do," Carlo piped up, coming to lead the group towards my room. Within minutes they entered my room, which I could tell because they all let out gasps of awe at the architecture with the white marble and the lifesize statues of my parents in my setting room. Past my setting room, through a pair of double doors, was my inner bedroom that had my king size canopy bed. When JJ reached the edge of my bed, I could feel him lay me down on top of my blankets and take off my shoes, hair accessories, and my personal effects so that I could be placed under the blankets.

"Who should watch her?" Eve questioned while they all stood around my bedside.

"I will," JJ offered. "She's saved my ass more time than I would like to admit so I'll do it."

There was a pause in the atmosphere before I could sense everyone leave the room which had just JJ and myself left. I heard him sigh as he found one of my comfy chairs and dragged it to the side of my bed.

"I don't know if you can hear me Nix, and I hope you can't. I'm too fucking scared to say any of this to you when you're awake."

I could feel my curiosity spike at JJ's words. What on Olympus could he be scared to tell me?

"I want to thank you for saving my ass so many times. I know I was a downright ungrateful prick when you helped me yet you still soldiered on. I admire that about you, about the way you care so much for people. Here on the Isle everyone is only concerned about themselves and what can benefit them. I don't get this kind of kindness from my father so I guess that's why I find myself drawn to you. You are like a ray of light through the darkness and dank that makes up our lives."

As I listened to his little speech, I couldn't help but feel shocked. I had no idea that JJ felt this way. Was I really that much of a good thing for my new friends?

"You used to be someone I boderline hated because you reminded me of how weak I was. I was always the strongest one I knew, but in you came being so much stronger than me. Over time I came to admire your strength and actively seek it out. As I got closer to you, I could see that I like so many other things about you. Like how even though you act like a pervert or when you killed those goblins, you're still kind of pure, you know? I even like the way you care so much for all of us, giving us enough food to make us full and giving us warm, comfortable beds to sleep in at night. You gave us all a home that we love to come to at the end of the day. I guess you could say from all that is that I like you Nicola. It took me forever to accept that I had feelings for someone that didn't involve it benefiting me in some way. I can't help but think that I want you to be happy. I want you to be healthy and I constantly think about you. I always ask myself, 'I wonder what Nix is thinking right now' or 'I wonder what she's doing'. At first it was killing me. Had I gone soft? Was this going to lead to my downfall? But as time went on, I came to see that these feelings I had weren't even a weakness at all. It was something that I used to make myself stronger."

That was when he lapsed into silence with me trying hard to reel in all of this information. JJ liked me?! Maybe, if given enough time, come to love me?! My heart beat wildly in my chest as I processed the information and giddy thoughts were all that occupied my mind. My crush for so many years had returned my feelings. Now all I had to do was tell him that I returned that thought in mind, I let myself drift off towards the Underworld where Momma and Daddy would be waiting.

"Nicola!" came my daddy's deep, booming voice from his throne on top of a dias in the middle of the throne room.

"Daddy!" I returned enthusiastically, my slightly ghostly form rushing over to throw my arms around his shoulders. The same silver eyes I possessed looked back at me and sparkled with mirth while his shoulder length black hair fading to blue like mine flared slightly in happiness.

"Welcome home sweet pea," my mom's melodic voice piped up from Dad's side.

"Momma!" I cried out happily as I turned to see my lovely mother whose long, silky black hair was spilling over her pale shoulders and whose brown eyes oozed warmth.

"Where is your body?" Daddy asked once he saw that I was almost completely see through.

"It's back at the house on the isle. I burned myself out helping my friends."

Daddy sighed in exasperation and lay his forehead on his hand so that he could massage the opposite sides of his nose.

"Explain from the beginning."

Knowing that I couldn't branch off from the story, I gave a detailed account of my journey to the Forbidden Fortress. Then after I told them about how we arrived back in town, I told them about I had gotten back to the house. However, I found it hard to try to tell my parents about my moment with JJ. Thankfully I just left that part out and ended my story by saying that JJ was watching over my body right now.

"I'll come help the boy watch over your body," Momma offered with a secret smile. "It sounds like that boy really owes you a debt."

I at once caught onto what my momma was saying and I gave her one of my own grateful smiles. She could tell that I liked JJ and she was giving me a chance to develop the feelings between us without Daddy interfering.

"Tell the boy that he has my gratitude for taking care of you," Daddy told me with a relieved smile that quickly morphed into a displeased frown. "But if you should so much as think about doing this again, I will lock you in your room here until you can think correctly."

"Yes, Daddy," I smiled, hopping up to give him another hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Now go Paidi mou," Daddy said. "I'll pay you a visit later in the week. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet all of your friends."

"I would really love that Daddy."

He gave me a warm little smile before I let my soul wander back to my body.

* * *

When I returned to my body, I could tell that my body had greatly healed. I could feel that I could slightly move my body, but I was still weak. Well, that is a great improvement given that I was on the Isle of the eyelids fluttered animatedly for a few minutes before my eyes opened to see that JJ was checking to make sure I was covered by my blankets and that my pillows were comfortable. A warmth settled in my chest at the action as I watched him sit back in the chair he had pulled up.

"Thank you JJ," I said once he had settled back in his chair.

He startled for a moment but he quickly recovered and looked my in the eye.

"No problem Nix. I do owe you some favors."

A smile stayed plastered my lips at his words. After he had told me all of that earlier, I knew that he was trying to put up the Isle front that he was used to wearing.

"Nicola!" I heard my momma call from my sitting room that had JJ on high alert. Because to him it was an unfamiliar voice, he was thinking it was an intruder.

"I'll be back Nix. I'll go see what that is."

"JJ,wait!" I called after his retreating figure. "That's my-"

That was all I was able to say before I heard a yell of surprise come from JJ as my momma defended herself.

"Come in Momma," I sighed. "Please bring JJ back in with you."

My momma's tall 5'8" frame draped in beautiful black robes strode into the room with some vines carrying JJ about five feet from the ground.

"Momma, please put him down."

She raised her eyebrow at me, but she let him fall to the ground with a thud.

"Momma, this is Jay. JJ, this is my momma."

JJ's eyes widened at the fact that he had tried to attack a god that was also my mother.

"Why did he come flying out of the room like a crazy person?" Momma questioned while she eyed him.

"He thought you were an intruder."

Momma kept a straight face for about five seconds until she burst out laughing. Even though JJ didn't blush, I could tell that he was uncomfortable with Momma laughing at him.

"He is adorable!" she tittered through her tinkling laughter. I couldn't help but agree, however, I didn't want to embarrass the poor boy more than he was already.

"Momma."

"Sorry Paidi mou. I couldn't help myself." After she rid herself of her laughter she turned to JJ. "You have both my gratitude and the gratitude of my husband for looking after our little girl."

This seemed to perk him up a little for his slight fidgeting died down and he looked Momma in the eye.

"Thank you…,"

"Just call me Momma dear," she told him with an offhanded wave, meeting my eyes with a mischievous look in hers. My eyes widened at her boldness while a blush settled on my cheeks.

"If you're not comfortable with that, then you can call me Percy."

"Thank you Percy."

"Think nothing of it dear. Has anyone brought up any ambrosia or nectar for Nicola to eat or drink yet?"

"No."

"Then let's go get some for her while I whip up some food for you and the others."

"I'm coming down with you," I insisted. "There is no way that I'm staying up here by myself."

"Nicola," Momma scolded me.

"But you're still not feeling well," JJ argued.

"Either you take me down with you or I'll drag myself down the stairs," I threatened. JJ let out a defeated sigh and moved so that he could lift me up in his arms bridal style.

"You are very stubborn Nix," JJ sighed down at me.

"That's why you love me," I beamed up at him, the words coming to my tongue faster than I could process them. As soon as I registered what I had said, both JJ's and my eyes widened in shock. Did I seriously just say that?! Especially right in front of my momma?! JJ cleared his throat uneasily as he made his way out of my room and ventured down the stairs.

When we entered the kitchen, everyone was already waiting for us.

"Why isn't Nicci in her room?" Carlo was the first one to pipe up.

"And who is that?" Mallie demanded when she saw Momma.

"Mallie, Carlo, Eve, this is my momma. Momma, this is Mal, Carlos, and Evie. They're the friends I told you about."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Momma smiled brightly. "I'm happy to know Nicola has good friends here on the Isle. Now, what would you like for lunch?"

The meal passed quickly enough with the humans eating normal food and me eating some ambrosia and nectar. Surprisingly enough, as soon as the food was made, Momma mysteriously vanished leaving JJ to help me eat my lunch. He tried his hardest to keep his face neutral while he fed me, but I could see the smallest traces of his embarrassment. I couldn't help but think that he was adorable.

"Thank you JJ," I said after I had eaten my fill.

"No problem."

* * *

For three days after that, a routine of JJ keeping a hawk like watch over me emerged. In the morning, JJ would be by my side when I woke then would help bring me a breakfast of ambrosia and nectar. Then he would carry me down to the living room where I could be with everyone else. There were a few times that it had been just the two of us relaxing on one of the couches so JJ had let me lay against his side as we talked. Well, I mostly talked with JJ throwing in some comments. I wanted to get him to talk to me more, but I simply left him as is. If he wanted to talk more, he would. We would be in there for hours until lunch. After I had eaten lunch JJ would take us outside where I could watch over my plants. During this little inspection, JJ would ask what different plants were and what they were used for. He was probably only trying to distract himself so that he wouldn't be bored out of his mind, but I appreciated his effort nonetheless.

"What is this yellow flower?" he asked while I tended to my ginseng.

"It's arnica," I replied. "It's used mostly for joint pain. If you make it into an oil or cream, it works wonders."

"What about this one?"

"That's Calendula. It treats cuts, scrapes, bruises, insect bites and minor wounds as well as reduce inflammation."

"Do all of these plants work as medicine?"

"Yes."

"How do you know which plants to use?"

"After years and years of practice under a master pharmacist."

"Who did you learn from?"

"My Uncle Apollo."

He blinked rapidly at my answer which I took as him trying to wrap his head around the fact that the Greek gods were my family.

A few hours had passed like this until it was dinner time. We would all eat then JJ would carry me back up to my room. During the three days of my recovery, my feelings for JJ had deepened further than they had been before. That night as I lay in my bed and I was slowly drifting off, I had decided to tell JJ tomorrow that I liked him. Hopefully, he would feel the same way and want to have a relationship with me.

The next morning that I woke up feeling refreshed and reenergized. I felt like I could take on the world. At my usual early hour, I rose from my bed and flashed through a shower and dressed in one of my usual floor length black Greek robes and brushed through my hair until it shone. I deemed myself ready fro the day then skipped down the stairs to the kitchen so that I could prepare some breakfast for the others. Happy Greek tunes poured out from my lips as I moved about the the smell of breakfast food wafted through the house, Mallie, Eve, and Carlo shuffled down to the kitchen with excited faces, well, as excited as Mallie could look. My eyes carefully scanned the incoming group but I could not see hide nor hair of JJ anywhere.

"Wharer's JJ?" I voiced.

"He's probably in his room catching up on some sleep," Mallie explained. "He was staying up all night sometimes to look after you."

My eyes widened at the news.

"Really?" I gasped in disbelief. "Now I feel bad. I'll go check up on him and thank him if he's awake. I didn't know he went that far to take care of me."

Mallie waved her hand at me absentmindedly at me while Eve gave me a thumbs up and Carlo was too focused on his food. With a chuckle and a shake of my head at my little brother, I left the kitchen and climbed up the stairs to the second floor. His door was slightly ajar so instead of just barging in, I looked in to see if he was asleep. It would hardly make any sense if he was asleep to just barge in and wake him up. He needed his sleep after what he did for me. Before my eye even looked in through the crack, I could hear throaty moans and labored grunts along with the slap of skin. My heart stilled in my chest and my breath caught in my throat. Please don't let it be what I think it is, I pleaded with myself as I forced myself to look into the room. True to the sounds that I heard I could see a busty redhead with flaming red hair, who I remembered to be Abigail Tremaine, on all fours with JJ behind her driving her into the bed. That was when I first felt my heart start to break that was further ripped by the look of complete and utter pleasure he had on his face as he buried himself in one of the grandstep-daughters. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes that I refused to let fall. It was my fault for letting my heart fall for him when I knew that he was a womanizer. With that thought firmly in my mind, I left the doorway for the kitchen where the other three were just finishing their meal.

"Where's Jay?" Carlo asked when I came back in alone.

"He's sleeping," I told him with a fake smile. "I didn't want to wake him."

Carlo nodded in understanding while both the girls looked at me with suspicion. I kept my gaze from theirs as I called a ghost to do the dishes for me. I didn't have the heart anymore to do the chores when I felt like this.

"I'll be in my room," I announced before I quickly shadow traveled myself into my cozy master bedroom. As soon as I passed through the sitting room to my actual room, I scooted myself into a corner of the room where the shadows were the darkest. Right now that would be the thing that would most comfort me right now.

"La/N!" came the combined voices of Mallie and Eve from my doorway.

"I'm still not feeling well," I supplied weakly. "I think I'm just going to rest some more."

"Get your ass out here N!" Mallie demanded. "We know you're completely healed from your magic! And we know the reason you're sad!"

My eyes widened at her raised voice so I rushed over with inhuman speed to rip open the door and pull the girls in before I shut the door.

"Why are you shouting so loud?" I hissed under my breath.

"It got you to open the door, didn't it?" she challenged with a raised eyebrow. I fumed at her answer and said nothing else.

"We saw Jay with Abigail,"Eve told me sympathetically. "We can hex him for you if you want."

"The sickness will be worth it," Mallie seethed.

"It's alright," I assured them. "This just tells me that I don't need him. I can be just fine without without a man."

They both shared a look at my words.

"But you were so happy about liking him," Eve argued. I shook my head with a bitter smile, turning to music to help get my point across.

 **Nicola**

 _Mal & Evie_

" **If there's a prize for rotten judgment**  
 **I guess I've already won that**  
 **No man is worth the aggravation**  
 **That's ancient history, been there, done that** "

I sang waltzing past the two who had folded their arms in front of their chests.  
" _Who d'you think you're kidding_  
 _He's the earth and heaven to you_  
 _Try to keep it hidden_  
 _Honey we can see right through you_ **(Oh no)** ,"

The girls argued back with stern looks, Eve switching her crossed arms for hands on her hips.

" _Girl, you can't conceal it_

 _We know how you're feeling_

 _Who you thinking of_

 **No chance, no way, I won't say it, no, no** ,"

I understood that the girls were only trying to help but I didn't want to be in love with JJ. It hurt way too much. I can just forget about him and let my heart heal with time.

" _You swoon, you sigh, why deny it, oh, oh_

 **It's too cliché, I won't say I'm in love** ,"

Even now my heart was in torment as I thought about what I had seen in his bedroom earlier. However, I couldn't deny the little smile that quirked my lips when I remembered our past few days together.  
" **I thought my heart had learned its lesson**  
 **It feels so good when you start out**  
 **My head is screaming "get a grip, girl"**  
 **"Unless you're dying to cry your heart out"**

 _Girl, you can't deny it_  
 _Who you are and how you're feeling_  
 _Baby we're not buying_  
 _Hon we saw you hit the ceiling_  
 _Face it like a grown-up_  
 _When you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad?_

 **No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no**

 _Give up, give in, check the grin, you're in love_

 **This scene won't play, I won't say I'm in love** ,"

By now the conflicting thoughts of liking JJ and the thoughts of forgetting about him clashed violently in my head.

" _We'll do it until you admit you're in love_

 **You're way off base, I won't say it**  
 **Get off my case, I won't say it**  
 _Girl don't be proud, it's okay you're in love_ ,"

Now that I remembered all of our moments together and I reflected on the warmth and happiness that settled nicely in my heart, I found that I really did love JJ.

" **Oh oh oh**

 **At least out loud I won't say I'm in love**."

-Won't Say(Hercules)

"See La," Eve encouraged me. "You do love Jay."

"I'm not saying it," I huffed. "It's bad enough that I have to admit it in my head."

"Baby steps N," Mallie smirked kindly with a pat to my back. I rolled my eyes good naturedly but startled when Momma strolled into my room with a huge grin on her face like she was Lucifer who had just eaten Iago. That smile only brought suspicion when we were on the Isle.

"Momma," I greeted her warmly with a huge hug. "What brings you here?"

"I have some news for all of your friends," she declared. "Round them all up and meet me in the kitchen."

With that she dissolved into the shadows to get down to the kitchen.

"I'll grab Carlo if you two grab JJ," I offered as I ventured to the door, but stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and if the redheaded bitch is still here, come up with something for me to throw her out and make sure she doesn't come back."

Mallie was the quickest one to don a delighted smile.

"With pleasure N."

Like always I found Carlo in his room working on one of his inventions.

"Hey Carlo," I called from his doorway.

"Hey Nicci," he returned, tightening a screw. "What'cha need?"

"My mom wants all of us down in the kitchen. She says she has news for the four of you."

He carefully placed his tools down then hopped up from his seat to follow me down the stairs to the kitchen. JJ was already there and looking into his dark eyes when I came into the room made my heart ache. All he was able to do was catch my eyes for a second before I quickly averted my gaze to my mom who was sitting with crossed legs of the island counter.

"What's the news Momma?"

"I have moved all of your parents into one place!" she exclaimed with joy. "That way you four can always be together!"

I'm pretty sure all of us were shocked at her statement. Just how did she get Maleficent and the Evil Queen to put down their differences enough to live together?

"My mom," Eve began.

"And my mom in the same house," Mallie finished in disbelief.

Momma only nodded enthusiastically. Momma,what did you do?

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **Well, there goes another chapter of Gray Areas. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to leave a review or shoot me a message. Remember reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


	9. Chapter 8: Really Evil

**Gray Areas Ch. 8: Really Evil?**

 **Hello again my lovelies! I am so sorry for taking so long to update. I am trying to take my time writing the movie because I don't want the story to feel rushed. All of the feelings that happen between the people needs time to be nurtured and developed unlike what the movie does in speeding it along. Anyways, now that I'm on break, I'll have more time for this. However, there have been some other fanfiction and movies that I have watched that has prompted me to make new stories, but I will strive to finish the ones I have already started. Anywhos, let's get on with the magic!**

 **bfireworks5:** **Well hello new lovely! It's always great to hear from new people! I thank you for your review and welcome you to the family. I have to agree with you. It was unfortunate, but I don't think anything like that will happen again...Don't hold me to that.**

 **ANNABETHALWAYS : Yes, I have read the books and I fell back on the name when I couldn't find another name that would fit. Anyways, I extend a hello to a new reviewer and thank you for your review. You are now a part of the family! ^.^**

 **Applejax XD:** **Hello again apple! It's so nice to hear from you again. Yes, Jay did screw up but maybe he can redeem himself in future chapters. As for Mama Percy, I'm leaving that up to you guys to use your imagination.**

 **Bandersnatchrg: Hello new lovely! I thank you for your review and invite you into the family. I know little Nicola is feeling down, but she's back with her big brother figure. She may not guilt trip Jay, but I'm pretty sure he's feeling the effect without knowing he did something wrong.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, we have our quote. Well, in this case quotes. I couldn't settle on one so we'll have two this chapter.**

 **"** **Inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It's a constant struggle as to which one will win. And one cannot exist without the other."**

 **-Eric Burdon**

 **"The line between good and evil is permeable and almost anyone can be induced to cross it when pressured by situational forces. "**

 **-Philip Zimbardo**

 **And here is the end of the Author's Note, so we will get on with the new chapter of Gray Areas!**

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

That was two days ago and now the five of us stood outside the large castle that used to belong to only Mallie and her mother but now housed JJ, Carlo, Eve, and their parents. Oh gods, this is going to be interesting.

"Are you ready for this guys?" I asked the others. "We can just go back to my house and ignore this."

"No," Mallie was the first to deny. "We need to get this over with."

I respected her decision with a sigh.

"I'm with you guys every step of the way. Just say the word and we're back at home."

Everyone adopted a smile at this and looked at me with appreciation that had my heart warming. Well, almost everyone's. JJ's made my heart contract painfully. It's alright Nicola, I assured myself. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. Let's do this. I pushed open the doors and led the group up the winding staircase to the second floor. I kept down the huge, long hallway that branched off into two different wings at the end but also continued on into a large sitting room that led out to a balcony.

"Evie darling!" the Evil Queen exclaimed when she saw her daughter. "Come here and let me check your makeup."

Eve sighed softly but went over to her mother anyway.

"Jay," Jafar called over to JJ. "What did you score today?"

There was little to no hesitation in his wandering over to his father.

"Carlos! Come fluff my fur!"

Sigh, there went Carlo.

"Mal,walk with me, talk with me."

And there went Mallie.

"How is your mother Nicola?" Evil Queen asked me while she fixed Eve's makeup.

"She's fine Miss. Queen," I answered politely.

"Is it true that you can perform magic without getting sick?" Maleficent questioned.

"Yes, Lady Maleficent."

"Show us then."

I wanted to snap at her demands,but I knew that if I were to say anything that would rebound horribly on the others. At the mention of the request, all of my family looked at me with scared and worried eyes. JJ's was even pleading with me not to do it, but I needed to. I made red roses bloom on the floor then shadow traveled about the room until I was back to where I needed to be, and finally made my sword appear before I let it dissolve back into nothingness.I could feel a light strain on me from the usage of my powers after the way I had passed out a few days ago, but it was nothing as bad as it was then.

"Impressive," Maleficent commented. "Is it also true that you can travel to Auradon freely."

"Yes."

Her black lips were quick to curve up into an evil smirk.

"Then I have a proposition for you dear."

Just the way that she said that made my hair stand on end.

"I am not helping with any of your schemes for Auradon," I put my foot down with a calm and stable voice. "I am Royal Advisor to the prince who is also my best friend."

"But we're villains," the Evil Queen piped up. "We have no friends. The only loyalty we show is to ourselves."

"My father may have made a terrible mistake once, but that doesn't make him a villain."

"Then why was he banished here?" Maleficent challenged coldly.

"Because he talked it over with my family and he found the error to his actions. He chose this to make amends."

There was a palpable animosity in the air after I said those words.

"I think it is about time you left," Maleficent told me in a thinly veiled threat. I held my tongue and said nothing else. It would be better if I just went home. I gave quick glances to everyone to let them know I'll see them at home. I received a small nod from everyone when they saw as I made my way back towards the large double doors. I quickly melted into the shadows and teleported myself back home.

* * *

Days after that I could see a change happen in everyone, but my little Carlo stayed mostly the same. For that I was grateful. I payed the changes no mind and we continued on as usual aside from the frequent trips they would make back to the castle. It was during one of these little trips that I was talking with Benjie through an Iris message.

"Sleve! Head! Ah-ha!" the tailor exclaimed as he was taking Benjie's measurements.

"You look like you're having fun Benjie," I teased him while I watched his discomfort.

"You know, you're going to have to be measured sometime too," he grumbled. I made to answer but both of our attentions was grabbed by the large double doors to his room being opened.

"How is it possible that you´re going to be crowned king next month?" King Beast boomed as him and Queen Belle entered the room. "You´re just a baby. Hi, Nicola."

"Hello King Beast, Queen Belle," I greeted the two warmly.

"Please," Queen Belle giggled. "It's Belle."

"And Adam," King Beast joined in.

"And he's turning 16, dear," Belle reminded her husband.

"Hey Pops," Benjie smiled to his dad.

"16? That´s far too young to be crowned king," Adam commented with a twinkle in his eye. "I didn´t make a good decision until I was a least 42."

I could see the minute that Adam's words registered in his wife's eyes and they gained a playful anger.

"You decided to marry me at 28," Belle pointed out.

"Ah, it was either you or a teapot," Adam joked in what seemed like poor taste with a wink towards Benjie and I. Benjie laughed quietly while I shook my head at him. Belle on the other hand didn't find it as funny as he did.

"Kidding."

Seeing the opportunity, I nodded my head in the direction of his parents.

"You should tell them," I encouraged him.

"Mom, Dad," Benjie began, trying to step forward but was stopped by the tailor. "I´ve chosen my fist official proclamation."

At this his parents were impressed and looked at him expectantly.

"I have talked it over with Nicola and I´ve decided that the children on the isle of the lost be given a chance to live here in Auradon."

Cue Belle dropping whatever she had in her hand, which happened to be a piece of clothing, in shock.

"Everytime I look out to the island, I feel like they´ve been abandoned."

I could feel the atmosphere change and do a complete 360 to what it had been before.

"The children of our sworn enemies," Adam seethed quietly. "Living among us?"

"We start out with a few at first, only the ones who need our help the most. We've already chosen them."

"Have you?" Adam questioned stiffly.

"I gave you a second chance," Belle told her husband softly, placing a hand on his forearm before she turned to us. "Who are their parents?"

"Cruella De Vil...Jafar...Evil Queen...and Maleficent," Benjie listed off, the beginning starting off great until he said the last name. The tailor yelped at the mention of the name while King Beast grew angrier.

"Maleficent! She is the worst villain in the land!" King Beast roared.

"Dad, just hear me out here!" Ben pleaded.

"I won't hear of it. They are guilty of unspeakable crimes."

"Adam, King Beast, if I may say a word," I requested softly to try a different route. His angered eyes fell on me, but he nodded all the same. "I am also from the Isle, yet you let me be Benjie's Royal Advisor."

"That is because your mother is Persephone, part of the gods of Olympus," Adam said. "And for the fact that you are a good girl who hasn't tried anything of what your father had done."

"So you're saying that I am not accountable for what my father did?"

"Yes."

"Then you are also saying that the children of the Isle are not accountable for what their parents did?"

"You've grown up with a good influence while the children have not."

"Then give them a chance to have a good influence," I implored him. That seemed to be all he needed to hear for he looked to his queen who stared up at him with faith for the both of us strong in her brown eyes. King Beast then closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

"I suppose the children are innocent," he admitted with a sigh. He gave a nod to the both of us before he left the room to go work out his anger.

"Well done you two," Belle congratulated us. She then followed behind her husband which left Benjie and I alone since the tailor had fled when King Beast had raised his voice.

"I think that went well," I commented offhandedly, crossing my legs and placed the elbow of the hand that held my face on my top knee.

"Considering it could have gone worse, I'd say yeah," Benjie left out in a breath. "Thanks for having my back Coco."

"No problem Benjie," I smiled. "I'm with you till the end of the line."

"You're a dork Coco," Benjie snorted.

"And yet you still love me."

"That's because you're a loveable dork."

"I didn't know dorks could be anything but."

"Alright, now you're a smartass."

"Benjamin!" I gasped in faux alarm. "Language. What if your mother was to hear?"

I made a good show of looking behind him like his mother was actually there and even threw my voice and disguised it with a bit of magic.

"Benjamin Florian Beast!"

He was quick to spin around with an excuse on his lips, only to falter when he saw no one. I kept the smile that threatened to surface under wraps while Benjie processed what had just happened.

"Coco," he let out in, I guess what he was trying for, anger, but it wasn't working. He was too embarrassed to be mad.

"Yes, dear Benjie?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

"It's unnatural how you do that."

"I'm a goddess Benjie. There is a lot more I can do."

"Heaven help who you play a prank on."

"I resent that comment."

"How has it been with you and Jay."

At the mention of JJ's name I could feel myself clam up. Even though Benjie and I were really close and told each other everything else, I couldn't really tell him.

"Coco?"

That question, with it's delicateness and worry was enough to break me and spill my guts to him. He kept his face free of his emotion so that he could hear the full story, but I could see the anger he had in his eyes. Oh no. He's not going to take this well.

"He. Did. WHAT?!" he exploded once that last word fell from my lips. Yep, I called it.

"Let me get this straight. He brought some random girl to your house and had sex with her in the room that you gave him when he knew people were awake."

I simply nodded.

"The last time I checked in he seemed to be interested in you."

Sounds about right.

"When he gets here I'll set him straight for you."

At this I had a hard time holding back my laughter.

"Benjie, I appreciate the thought, but that wouldn't solve anything. Plus, no offense, but you couldn't make a dent on him. The last time you tried to hit someone for picking on me, I had to save your ass. You really need some self defense classes."

"You can teach me," he blurted out in his anger haze.

"What?" I uttered in shock. Was he serious?

"You teach me Coco. That way no one finds out that I can't fight."

"I'm not teaching you to fight just so you can beat up JJ."

"Who says I'm going to?"

He is really adamant about this.

"Fine," I sighed. "You look like you would do well with karate. We'll pick it up when I come to the school in a few days."

"Thank you Coco."

"Yeah, yeah. You won't be saying that when I have to put you through the training for your lessons."

"I love you Coco."

"I love you more because I'm bigger."

"You got me, though technically I'm the tallest now."

"Who's the strongest?"

"Touché."

"I'll talk to you later Benjie."

"Talk to you later Coco."

With that last sentence I ended the Iris message just as I heard everyone open the front door.

"Welcome home," I greeted them when I could see them from inside the kitchen.

"I'm home," Carlo returned happily.

"Could you four come in here real quick, I have some news for you?"

All four of them dutifully entered the kitchen and made themselves comfortable at the kitchen table.

"What is it La?" Eve asked.

"I'm leaving for Auradon in three days."

"What?!" everyone exclaimed in shock.

"I thought you went back in the spring," JJ voiced.

"Well, that's the second part of my news. You four are coming with me."

This was met with a whole nother round of protest.

"It's not up for discussion. Benjie and I have already set it up so you can't back out."

"Why didn't you ask us?" Mallie demanded angrily.

"Have you four really been around enough so that I could ask you?"

At this they had a guilty look on their faces.

"Look, it won't be so bad. I'll be with you the whole way and if you have any questions you can come to me, alright?"

They all nodded sullenly.

"Thank you for understanding."

Both Carlo and Eve were the ones to walk over and give me a hug while Mallie and JJ placed a hand on my shoulders.

* * *

Three days later found me packed, well the little things that I needed, with my bag on my bed. Instead of wearing my normal black toga, I instead wore a pair of ripped up black leather jeans that was low rise, a dark blue tube top that ended right under my breasts, a pair of black strappy stilettos, and a black leather jacket that had a silver skull with blue flames erupting from the skull that made up my father's design like how the other children had a design for their parents. For final touches on my outfit, I put my long hair up into a high ponytail that ended at the middle of my back and spritzed on some perfume that had hints of water jasmine, honeysuckle, neroli, and mandarin blossoms. With a sigh of satisfaction, I shouldered my bag and shadow traveled to the roof of a house in town. Lately the others had taken it upon themselves to terrorize the people of the Isle on their way to the castle that their parents resided in. Today it seemed like there were going to terrorize people while singing a first one I found was Mallie and she was spray painting her mother's tag on the side of a building.

 **Mal**

Evie

 _Jay_

 _Carlos_

All

" **They say I'm trouble**

 **They say I'm bad**

 **They say I'm evil**

 **And that makes me glad** "

Cue Mallie pushing past some boys and making sure she hit their shoulders.

" _A dirty no good_

 _Down to the bone_

 _Your worst nightmare_

 _Can't take me home_ "

There goes JJ climbing down a ladder right next to his version of the 'Long Live Evil' tag that her had modified for his father.

"So I got some mischief

In my blood

Can you blame me?

I never got no love"

Eve could be seen strutting down a table where people were eating who quickly snatched their plates out of the way lest Eve stomp all over their food. Then here comes Carlo climbing out of a window.

" _They say I'm callous_

 _A lowlife hood_ "

Carlo then stole a rag from a man who was close by cleaning.

" _I feel so useless_ "

He then snatched an apple from a girl who had been tossing the fruit up and down, took a bite out of it, then threw it back to her over his shoulder.

"Misunderstood!"

Mallie and Eve met up at the mouth of an alley to stride down to through it to a fence while Carlo was jumping on the beds of the homeless and JJ was walking across a beam on the roof closest to me. Damn, talk about balance.

" **Mirror mirror**

 **On the wall**

 **Who's the baddest**

 **Of them all**

 **Welcome to my Wicked World**

 **Wicked World** "

They all met at the closed fence and gripped it tight.

"I'm rotten to the core

Core

Rotten to the core"

Once the gate was pushed open, they ran through town. I couldn't help but look on in amusement at their performance and their lyrics. They may say they were rotten and bad, but during the time I had spent with them before their parents lived together, I knew they had some good in them.

"I'm rotten to the core

Core

Who could ask for more

I'm nothing like the kid next

Like the kid next door

I'm rotten to the...

I'm rotten to the...

I'm rotten to the core"

Each of them then picked up pipes and sticks and started to bang on any type of drum as they passed, all shouting and hooting in joy. Well, at least they're having fun.

" **Call me a schemer**

 **Call me a freak** "

Mallie was the next to have a solo as she picked up a purple spray can and painted an Mon a tarp without looking. Hmm, she would make a great artist.

" **How can you say that?**

 **I'm just...**

 **Unique** "

All she did was shrug and laugh.

" _What, me a traitor?_

 _Ain't got your back_ "

JJ picked up a pretty teapot from a table to two and pretended to pour tea for the people.

" _Are we not friends?_

 _What's up with that?_ "

With those lyrics he flipped over the table, making off with the teapot. From that I could see, there were about six other things he had swiped in the course of visibly stealing the teapot. He's still got it, I mused not sure if I should be condoning him or feeling proud for him.

"So I'm a misfit

So I'm a flirt

I broke your heart

I made you hurt"

She then pulled the scarf from around the vendor's neck which caused his dark eyes to watch after her in lust and longing. This had me bristling. Look all you want fuck face, I seethed, but you aren't laying a hand on her.

" _The past is past_

 _Forgive forget_ "

There went Carlo kicking over apples from their baskets.

" _The truth is_ "

Carlo then dumped the empty basket on a girl's head then jumped down to the ground.

"You ain't seen nothing yet"

As they all sang the last line Carlo jumped onto a cart of hay that got him away from the girl that had been chasing him. His response was to throw some hay at her. Honestly? From there the four of them had moved to a large barn. Mallie and Eve were on the balcony and the boys had disappeared inside.  


" **Mirror mirror**

 **On the wall**

 **Who's the baddest**

 **Of them all**

 **Welcome to my Wicked World**

 **Wicked World** _"_

While Mallie and Eve were singing from the balcony, Carlo was pulling a string that moved a metal rafter that JJ jumped to hang off of. JJ laughed as he swung back and forth on the moving beam. Oh gods, he really did pack on some muscles, I drooled in my mind when I saw the muscles flexing from his grip on the rafter. A beautiful back flip was executed off the beam that JJ stuck with no difficulty.

"Come on!" he encouraged Carlo so that the boys could catch up with Mallie and Eve. It seemed like other kids of villains wanted to join in so they hurried over to where my four were gathered.

"I'm rotten to the core

Core

Rotten to the core

I'm rotten to the core

Core

Who could ask for more?

I'm nothing like the kid next

Like the kid next door

I'm rotten to the...

Rotten to the...

Core"

The dance sequence that they executed through the last part of the song was amazing, and it was something I expected from them. It was well choreographed and the moves were fierce and passionate. To finish it off Mallie stole a sucker from a baby. She held it up and everyone cheered. I took this as my cue to run from my roof to another that was closest to them then jumped off to land on my feet easily, even with the heels. I could feel all of the other males' stares because of my outfit from the other kids, but I kept my attention on Mallie, Eve, Carlo,and JJ.

"Nice clothes N," Mallie approved with a smirk. "Very badass."

"You look great Nix," JJ grinned as he put an arm around my shoulders. I felt my heart flutter at the feeling, but I twirled out from under his reach. It would take me a few more days to get that image out of my head before I could let him hug me like that again. Everything around us seemed to still and the was a hush that fell over the other people. Let me guess, it was Maleficent?

"Hi Mom," Mallie greeted as she turned around to face her mother. Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.

"Stealing candy Mal, I'm so disappointed."

"It was from a baby," Mallie offered.

"That's my nasty little girl," Maleficent grinned evilly as she took the sucker, spit on it, held it under her armpit for a few seconds, then gave it to one of her henchman. "Here, give it back to the dreadful creature."

Maleficent and Mallie then went on ahead talking about being her while the other three followed.

"I'll wait for you guys out here," I told them when we got to the front of the castle. "We don't want to cause another scene."

They all nodded before they continued on into the castle. I had only to wait for few minutes until the limo pulled up in front of the castle. I sent up a call to the balcony before I slid into the back of the limo and sat in the seat right next to the divider.

"Hey Jean," I greeted the dark haired chauffeur. "How have you been."

"Lady Nicola," he beamed back. "I've been wonderful. Though I have to say, it's weird to see you dressed like that. By the time you arrive in Auradon, you already have your lighter hair."

"It is something hard to get used to," I mused, now looking around in the back. The first thing I saw was sweets, sweets, and more sweets.

"Is Benjie trying to give the all cavities?"

Jean laughed at my comment just as the back door opened. The first ones in were JJ and Carlo who sat on the seat adjacent to me with JJ being the closest. Eve was the next one who came to sit across from me on the back seat. The last person was Mal who came to sit beside Eve. They all took one look at the candy and their faces lit up.

"Help yourselves," I told them. "Though I would recommend the reese's."

Carlo was the first one to take my advice and take one. Eve and Mallie stuck with some rock candy. However, when Carlo went to get more JJ was quick to fight him over the remaining candy.

"Boys,"I tried quietly at first to see if they would listen. Sadly, that didn't work. "Boys!"

They immediately froze from what they were doing and looked my way in surprise. They knew I was dead serious when I rose my voice.

"There is enough for everyone."

"You're looking a little washed out," Eve told Mallie while the boys went back to the candy, but didn't fight this time. "Let me help you out."

While Eve was saying this, she was applying some blush to Mal's cheeks.

"Ew, stop," Mallie protested, swatting Eve's hand away. "I'm plotting."

"Well it's not very attractive."

Eve then turned to me.

"La, you're perfect as always."

"Not perfect," I denied at once. Wait, now that I think about it, Benjie is going to meet his true love today. I can't wait to see his face when he sees her, I snickered quietly to myself.

"Look!" Eve exclaimed that broke me from my thoughts. I turned to see what she was freaking out about when I saw that we were nearing the edge of the bridge.

"It's a trap!" Carlo screamed in fear. That's when they all began to yell in fright while holding each other even though I tried to get their attention so that I could quell their fears. When my voice failed to get through, I sighed and let them realize for themselves that they weren't in any danger. Upon not feeling anything they cautiously opened their eyes and looked around.

"As I was trying to say," I began. "You're fine. We've passed through the barrier and we're being supported by magic."

"How you can deal with them is beyond me," Jean commented from the front seat.

"Jean," I scolded him.

"Hey," Mallie called out from her seat. "Did this little button just open up the magic barrier?"

"No, this one opens up the magic barrier," Jean said as he held up a golden remote. "That one opens my garage. And this one…"

His voice was cut off by the divider rising closed.

"Okay," Mallie laughed. "Nasty, I like him."

I smiled softly at Mallie's words.

"Not everyone is going to be a goody two shoes," I told her while I crossed my legs.

"Then I have a feeling Auradon won't be so bad."

"Oh, and we don't have uniforms except for the sport teams."

"Thank god," JJ sighed happily.

"What about dogs?" Carlo asked desperately. I couldn't help but wince at his question.

"Well, there is one dog," I drug out, causing his face to fall. "But it's a big campus, you shouldn't see him that often."

That was enough to get him to calm down slightly.

"Though I have to prepare you guys for the band."

"The band?"

Oh boy, this is going to be a long ride.

* * *

About an hour later, I could see the sign for Auradon Prep. I could see the others gag at the words 'where goodness doesn't get any better'. Yeah, even though I went to the school, even that made a sickly sweet aftertaste in my mouth.

"You guys ready for this?" I asked them when the limo pulled into the drive of the school and the sounds of the pep band could be heard.

"As we'll ever be," Mallie answered for everyone. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Carlo and JJ fighting over some blanket.

"Boys, stop-," I started to say but was cut off by them falling out when Jean opened the door.

"Ah! Ow! Stop!" Carlo shouted at JJ as the rest of us exited the car. Great. There goes their first impression. I took one look at all the students gathered around us and decided that the boys needed to stop their fighting and fast. My irritation made my hair ignite at the ends and for some shadows to gather around the boys. Everyone went quiet when they saw some of my Underworld powers and the boys dropped the blanket that they had been fighting over.

"Are you quite finished?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow. All they could do was nod.

"Great," I smirked. "Now put it back into the limo."

Carlo was quick to let go and JJ threw it back into the limo.

"Thank you."

Now that everyone was in order, I turned to see the Benjie, Audrey, and the Fairy Godmother were waiting for us.

"Hey Coco," Benjie greeted me from beside his current girlfriend Audrey.

"Hey Benjie," I smirked easily and came to bump my hip against his.

"I'm not sure your clothes follow school regulations."

"Relax Benjie," I rolled my eyes at him. "We're not having classes today. I'm good."

Upon seeing Audrey, I could see JJ's smirk widen as he sauntered over to her. He is **not** going to do what I think he is going to do.

"Hello foxy, the name's Jay."

I could feel the ends of my hair flare up at the sight.

"So that's Jay," Benjie whispered so only I heard. I stiffly nodded.

"Welcome to Auradon Prep," Fairy Godmother greeted the four Isle natives. "I am Fairy Godmother, Headmistress."

I could see the wheels in Mallie's head turn at FG's introduction. What are you planning Mallie?

"The Fairy Godmother?"Mallie echoed. "As in 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo?"

She emphasized her question by waving her hand around like she was wielding a wand. Oh gods, they want the wand, don't they?

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi, you know it," FG smiled.

"You know, we always wondered what it was like for Cinderella when you just appeared with that sparkling wand and warm smile."

Oh by the gods they wanted the wand. Great. I'll have to keep a close watch on them. Damn it! They were completely fine until Momma had to put all of their parents in one place. I must have missed the rest of FG's talk because Benjie stepped forward to meet the Isle kids with my body automatically moving on its own to keep in step with him.

"It's so good to finally meet you," he greeted warmly. "I'm Ben."

"Prince Benjamin, soon to be king," Audrey spoke up and held onto Benjie's hand that was the closest to her.

"And this is Audrey Babineaux," I interjected, giving FG a look for her to continue on with what she had to say so that there was no tension between Mallie, Eve, and Audrey.

"Ben, Audrey, and Nicola are going to show you all around, and I'll see you tomorrow," FG announced. She even threw in the information on the library before she left us alone.

"Remember Benjie, no long drawn out speech," I reminded him softly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

He went to the end of the line where JJ was, but Benjie skipped right over him. Okay, well, I should have expected that.

"It's so good to finally meet you all," Benjie began but was cut off for a few moments looking into Mal's green eyes. I could see the almost puppy dog look Benjie was giving Mallie, but Mallie was looking at him like there was something wrong with him. Well, maybe just a little bit. Benjie managed to give the other two a handshake without going on a speech, so I swooped in then so that Audrey wouldn't say a word to my family.

"C'mon you lot, we still have so much to see."

Audrey latched onto Benjie's arm like a leech but kept quiet so I took that as my cue to led the group through the walkway until we came to King Beast's statue.

"Auradon Prep, originally built over 300 years ago, was converted into a high school by my father when he became king," Benjie began, clapping his hands to make the statue shift forms. There was a scream from Carlo as Mallie and JJ let some magic fly at the statue. Anticipating their attacks, I made a mass of shadows rise up and protect the statue.

"Sorry," Benjie apologized weakly. "I should have warned you."

Once that little fiasco was done, I called the shadows back.

"My father wanted his statue to morph from man to beast to remind us that anything is possible."

"Does he shed much?" Mallie cracked once the shock of the statue had worn off.

"Yeah, Mom won't let him on the couch," Benjie joked. No one could tell if he was serious or joking but me so when I started laughing, everyone laughed following my example. Benjie then led the others on while I hung back with Carlo.

"C'mon Carlo, the statute only works with members of the Beast bloodline."

I put an arm around his shoulder and led him towards the group.

"So, do you guys have a lot of magic here in Auradon?" Mallie ventured. "Like wands and stuff like that?"

Mallie, I groaned in my head. If you're going to get information like that, at least be discreet.

"It exists," I answered.

"But it's pretty much retired," Benjie finished for me while giving me a look. "The gods make it so that it hasn't all been."

All I could do was shrug.

"Most of us here are ordinary mortals."

I like how he threw in the most. I could sense another high tension opportunity so I called out to Doug who was on the landing.

"Doug! Come meet the new arrivals!"

He dutifully came down the stairs to meet us and I threw my arm around his shoulders.

"This is Doug Wagner," I told the others. "Doug, this is Mal Titania, Evie Queen, Jay Amirmoez, and Carlos DeVil."

"Doug will be helping you with your class schedules," Benjie threw in. "Both him and Coco will be showing you to your dorms. If you have any questions-,"

"I'll be happy to help," I interjected when I saw Audrey about to say something. She gave a subtle glare that I only raised an eyebrow to. Nothing she did managed to scare me. I was the daughter of the King of the Underworld, there are few things that can truly scare me.

"Hi guys," Doug offered warmly. "I'm Dopey's son as in Dopey, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy,and Hiegh-Ho…"

I knew the exact moment when Doug caught sight of Eve because I could feel his breath catch in his throat. Well, it looks like Benjie isn't the only one who found their soulmates today. When Eve saw that Doug was staring, she smirked and gave him a wink. He was still staring after three minutes so I nudged him in the side.

"The schedules," I reminded him.

"Oh right. I put in the requirements already," he informed them. "History of Woodsman and Pirates, Safety rules for the Internet, and uh, Remedial Goodness 101."

I could sense Doug's uneasiness so I again swooped in.

"Alright, let's get a move on with getting you four in a dorm. If you'll follow me."

I threw a wave over my shoulder to Benjie before I turned my attention back to leading the group.

"Hey Doug, you take the boys. I'll take the girls. For Carlos, I would suggest putting him in science and technology classes. As for Jay, I would suggest putting him in Heroism and Basic Chivalry."

Carlo looked positively thrilled at my suggestion while JJ looked on in horror. On the inside I was snickering but on the outside, I kept my face neutral. The boys headed off towards the boys side of the dorms while I led the girls to their new room.

"I took the liberty of changing your dorm for you guys," I told them as I opened the door. The standard colors for the dorms are pink and frills so I modified the two sides of the room for you two. For Mallie, you have purple, magenta, and green on your side with some black lace here and there and Eve,you have blue, red, yellow, and black lace as decoration."

By the faces they made when they saw the room, I could tell they loved and appreciated my efforts.

"Thanks N."

"No problem. Oh yeah, I have made your curtains a little thicker so that you get a little sun but you're not drowning in it. Um, you two have alarm clocks, everything you need in the bathroom is there. Breakfast is at seven,I'll come by in the morning to get you, and classes start at eight. Right next to your desks are your book bags with all the books and supplies you'll need. Is there anything I'm missing?"

"I don't think so," Eve told me.

"Great. Then I will bid you two good night so that I can swing by the boys to say good night then head over to my room. Goodnight Mallie. Goodnight Eve."

Eve enthusiastically returned my hug while Mallie let me hold her and patted my back. I stepped back from the two of them and gave them each a smile before I let myself dissolve into the shadows.

When I reached the boy's dorm, I could see that they were drooling over the video game I had installed for them.

"I take it you two like the game," I piped up as I settled down on an armchair and crossed my legs.

"Nicci!" Carlo exclaimed happily when he saw me.

"Hey Carlo," I returned warmly. "Did Doug explain everything alright?"

"Yeah," JJ spoke up.

"Alright, then I won't stay too long and let you get your rest. Breakfast is at seven tomorrow and classes start at eight. I'll come get you two so that you won't get lost. Goodnight Carlo. Goodnight JJ."

Carlo eagerly accepted my hug and buried his head under my chin.

"Could you stay the night Nicci?" he requested softly. "I don't think I can get to sleep by myself."

"I can't," I sighed. "But I can give you a crystal that will be a piece of me. Will that be enough?"

He vigorously nodded so I drew back from him and held my palm out. Since tomorrow would the first day of spring, I could feel my spring powers coming to the surface. A bright, soft light then erupted from my palm that illuminated the crystal that was emerging from under my skin. Once the palm sized stone was completely out of my skin, the light vanished to reveal a chunk of rose quartz.

"Here you go Carlo."

JJ appeared to look left out at the gesture so I made another chunk appear and offered it to him. He averted his eyes but quickly snatched the crystal from my hand.

"Thanks."

"No problem JJ. Goodnight."

I melted into the shadows and made a little detour to the girls' room to place a chunk of rose quartz on each of their pillows as they slept. That should help them sleep a little lighter, I thought happily to myself. With that done, I made a last trip to my room where Benjie was sitting on my bed. He saw the look on my face so he said the only thing that I needed at the moment.

"I already made your bubble bath."

"You are the best Benjie," I sighed happily. "Did you want to talk?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Give me time to get in the bath and then come sit on the side of the pool."

Just to let you guys know, I didn't have a normal bathtub. My bath was a deep, medium sized sunken pool that was filled with bubbles. It would be able to fit four people in there easily. I slid through the doorway to my bathroom suite and hastily shed my clothes and put my hair up into a bun so that I could submerge myself into the warm bath.

"I'm in," I called out. Benjie then came into the bathroom and sat down on the floor right next to the bath. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I can't believe Jay just flirted with someone in front of you."

I gave him a look.

"Okay, there are two things wrong with that sentence. One, JJ is his own person. He can do what he wants. Who is to say he even likes me. And two, you're honestly finding more fault with that than the fact that he was hitting on your girlfriend?"

All he could muster was a look of shock and surprise at my question.

"Let me guess, once you saw Mallie, all thoughts of Audrey as your girlfriend flew out the window didn't it?"

By the look on his face, I could see that I was right.

"Well, the only thing to do is to break up with Audrey and ask Mallie out."

"You make that sound so easy."

"I never said it was easy. I just said what you needed to do."

He let out a sigh and massaged the back of his neck.

"Thanks Coco. I came in here to talk about your problems and we ended up talking about mine."

"It's what I'm here for Benjie. I'm happy to help."

"Are we still on for the training?"

"Yes. Make sure you're up,dressed in workout clothes, and at my door at five-thirty. We'll start then."

"Okay. Goodnight Coco," he told me as he wrapped his forearms around my shoulders.

"Night Benjie. Tell me if you have anymore wet dreams about a certain purplette."

All I got was him sputtering at my words.

"I can't wait until you have wet dreams so I can tease you about them."

"Who says I don't?"

There was a pause as my comment sunk in.

"Do you?"

"No."

"Damn."

"Sorry Benjie, no teasing material for you. Plus, you'll have to find some better material if you want to tease me."

He grumbled at me under his breath and flicked my forehead as he stood to leave.

"If you stay in there any longer, you'll prune up."

"Yes, Mother."

"Smartass," he said over his shoulder as he left.

"And proud of it."

I waited until I heard the click of the door that connected our rooms before I left the cover of the bubbles of the bath. I loved Benjie to bits and wasn't shy in changing my clothes, only outer clothes not underwear, but I didn't want him to see me naked. The only one who had that right was the one who would be my husband. I let the water out of the tub and made sure to rinse it out before I dried off, put on some lotion, brushed my teeth and hair, then crawled under the covers. A contented sigh left me at the feeling of the soft sheets against my skin and the plush blanket the covered me up. I curled up on my side with my hair splaying over my pillow and coming to rest over my shoulder. I could see my pitch black hair fade into a light golden brown with a lighter blue at the ends. Through Carlo's crystal, I was able to feel that he was having trouble getting to sleep. Through JJ's crystal, I was able to feel that he was uneasy in his new surroundings. Maybe singing them a lullaby will help. I infused my internal translator with the song I was thinking of so that their natural language would hopefully calm them down even more than the song could.

"Somewhere over the rainbow  
Way up high  
And the dreams that you dreamed of  
Once in a lullaby  
Somewhere over the rainbow  
Blue birds fly  
And the dreams that you dreamed of  
Dreams really do come true ooh oh  
Someday I'll wish upon a star  
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me  
Where trouble melts like lemon drops  
High above the chimney top  
That's where you'll find me  
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly  
And the dream that you dare to,  
Oh why, oh why can't I?  
Well I see trees of green and red roses too,  
I'll watch them bloom for me and you  
And I think to myself  
What a wonderful world  
Well I see skies of blue  
And I see clouds of white  
And the brightness of day  
I like the dark  
And I think to myself  
What a wonderful world  
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky  
Are also on the faces of people passing by  
I see friends shaking hands  
Singing, "How do you do?"  
They're really singing, "I, I love you."  
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,  
They'll learn much more than we'll know  
And I think to myself  
What a wonderful world world  
Someday I'll wish upon a star  
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me  
Where trouble melts like lemon drops  
High above the chimney top  
That's where you'll find me  
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow way up high  
And the dream that you dare to, why oh, why can't I?"

Just as I was finishing the song, I could feel the girls slipping more into a relaxed state while Carlo was happily asleep, and JJ had relaxed enough so that he was asleep. I myself was verging on the edge of wakefulness and sleep that had me smiling softly. My family were asleep and safe and sound. That was enough for me to slip the rest of the way into the realm of sleep.

 **o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Gray Areas o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **There we have it folks. Hope you like the newest chapter. Now, I have most of the couple pairings all set up, but I don't have one for Carlos. If any of you would like to give a suggestion or make your own OC for this, I highly encourage it. Send me your info via a pm and I'll pick one that I think makes the best match for little Carlos. On another note, we get to see an overprotective Ben. What did you guys think of that? What did you think of the interaction between Maleficent and Nicola. What of King Beast's and Nicola's debate. I hope this is a solid debate and shows why Nicola is Ben's Royal Adviser. So, that's all I have to say for the story so I'll leave you with this. If you have an questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to leave a review or to send me a pm in you're not comfortable with other people seeing what you wrote. Anything wrote in a pm, besides the contest for Carlos's love interest, will be only between the sender and myself. Remember, reviews are magic!**

 **-White Wolf**


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